While the war in Ukraine has upended global geopolitics and ratcheted up tensions between Russia and the West, the impact has been especially profound across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where many inhabitants have themselves been the victims of Moscow’s aggression in the past.
In Kazakhstan, which shares the world’s longest land border with Putin’s rogue state and was the last of the former Soviet republics to achieve independence, the past two years have not only seen the disruption of traditional political and economic ties but accelerated a process of uncoupling from Russian language and culture.
Even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, “the young generation started to be more aware and be more awake and passionate about [Kazakh] culture itself,” says 26-year-old filmmaker Aisultan Seitov, whose feature debut, “Qas” (Hunger), about the brutal Kazakh famine of the 1930s, won best director honors in the Asian New Talent...
In Kazakhstan, which shares the world’s longest land border with Putin’s rogue state and was the last of the former Soviet republics to achieve independence, the past two years have not only seen the disruption of traditional political and economic ties but accelerated a process of uncoupling from Russian language and culture.
Even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, “the young generation started to be more aware and be more awake and passionate about [Kazakh] culture itself,” says 26-year-old filmmaker Aisultan Seitov, whose feature debut, “Qas” (Hunger), about the brutal Kazakh famine of the 1930s, won best director honors in the Asian New Talent...
- 12/11/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
The first edition of the Alternativa Film Project wrapped with an award ceremony this weekend in Almaty, the cultural capital of Kazakhstan, with filmmakers from Central Asia and the wider Asia-Pacific region being feted as part of a new initiative launched by the California-based tech company inDrive, best known for its ride-hailing app.
The event marked a successful close to what organizers hope will be an ongoing non-profit initiative aimed at supporting emerging filmmakers from under-developed film industries. Along with this weekend’s award ceremony, the Alternativa Film Project is developing a multi-pronged approach that includes training labs, public film screenings, pitching workshops and networking events.
The project’s emphasis is on movies that champion efforts to combat social injustice in the world. “We want to motivate talented filmmakers to create meaningful art, impactful art,” said inDrive CEO Arsen Tomsky.
In keeping with that focus, the awards — which were accompanied...
The event marked a successful close to what organizers hope will be an ongoing non-profit initiative aimed at supporting emerging filmmakers from under-developed film industries. Along with this weekend’s award ceremony, the Alternativa Film Project is developing a multi-pronged approach that includes training labs, public film screenings, pitching workshops and networking events.
The project’s emphasis is on movies that champion efforts to combat social injustice in the world. “We want to motivate talented filmmakers to create meaningful art, impactful art,” said inDrive CEO Arsen Tomsky.
In keeping with that focus, the awards — which were accompanied...
- 12/4/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
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