Announcement: X “Eurasia” IFF
On 15 – 20 September 2023, the 10th Eurasia International Film Festival will be held in Almaty. Traditionally, the Fest organized by the Republic of Kazakhstan Ministry of Culture and Sports, Kazakhfilm Studios named after Shaken Aimanov, and Almaty City Akimat (Mayor’s Office).
This year marks Festival’s 10th anniversary, which is to be celebrated as part of 100th anniversary of Shaken Aimanov, Kazakhstan’s great film director, which is on the UNESCO Calendar of Great Personalities and Events Anniversaries.
The Fest approaches its anniversary with an impressive record. Eurasia is Central Asia’s only film festival accredited by FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations), the undisputed authority in the world film industry. It is worth noting that in 2021, International Film Guide (UK) put Eurasia IFF in the Top 35 World’s Leading Film Festivals’ List.
Eurasia’s concept is based on its host country’s geopolitical situation at the crossroads of Western and Eastern cultures. That is why Festival’s Competition features the best films from all around Europe, Asia and CIS countries. This year, 170 films from Kazakhstan, Russia, France, South Korea, Japan, Germany, Kyrgyzstan, Israel, Belgium, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Turkey, India, Malaysia, and many other countries applied for participation in Eurasia’s International Competition.
The members of the Screening committee of «Eurasia» are:
- Serik APRYMOV, the scriptwriter, director, actor and producer, winner of Lenin Komsomol and Union of cinematographers of Kazakhstan awards, the Honored artist of Kazakhstan and one of the bright representatives of " Kazakhstan’s new wave".
- Gaziz NASYROV, the scriptwriter and director
- Nariman TUREBAYEV, the scriptwriter, director and producer (the best director award of the VII IFF "Eurasia").
- Galina LEONOVA, the journalist, film expert
- Didar AMANTAY (chairman), winner of the youth state prize "Daryn", writer, scriptwriter and editor-in-chief of the "Kazakhfilm" film studio.
Twelve films were selected for the Eurasia-2023 International Competition. One film of the selection was made in Kazakhstan. Apart from the Main Competition, the following out-of-competition programs will be held:
SHAKEN AIMANOV'S 100th ANNIVERSARY:
Jamboul (Kazakh SSR, 1952, directed by Yefim Dzigan)
Our Loveable Doctor (Kazakh SSR, 1957, directed by Shaken Aimanov)
Angel in Taqiyah (Kazakh SSR, 1968, directed by Shaken Aimanov)
The Chieftain's End (Kazakh SSR, 1970, directed by Shaken Aimanov)
CINEMA BRIDGE: EAST-WEST:
Platform (China, 2000, directed by Jia Zhangke)
Still Life (China, 2006, directed by Jia Zhangke)
Amen (Germany, Romania, France, 2002, directed by Costa-Gavras)
Eden is West (France, Greece, Italy, 2008, directed by Costa-Gavras)
KOREAN CINEMA TODAY:
Confession (2023, directed by Lee Do-yun)
Thuy (2022, directed by Kim Jae-han)
The Thieves (2021, directed by Choi Dong-hoon)
The King of Pigs (2020, directed by Yeon Sang-ho)
30 YEARS OF KAZAKH NEW WAVE:
Films directed by Rachid Nougmanov, Abai Karpykov, Ardak Amirkulov, Amir Karakulov, Talgat Temenov, Darezhan Omirbayev, Serik Aprymov, and Sergei Solovyov.
SPECIAL EVENT:
Poetry (South Korea, 2010, directed by Lee Chang-dong)
Aje Aje Bara Aje (South Korea, 1989, directed by Im Kwon-taek)
Man of Cinema (USA, 2007, directed by Pierre Rissient)
Grill Point / Halbe Treppe (Germany, 2002, directed by Andreas Dresen)
Also, the Festival Program features:
A SHORT FILMS' NIGHT
SHAKEN'S STARS IFF PRESENTS
A documentary film Shaken Aimanov: A Legendary Man (Kazakhstan, 2023, directed by Bulat Nussimbekov).
OPENING CEREMONY FILM SCREENING:
Land of the Fathers (USSR, 1961, directed by Shaken Aimanov)
Due to its high program requirements and compliance with international standards, Eurasia IFF has top film critics from Europe and Asia working together with the international jury. The Festival was attended by the heads of the National Center of Cinematography (France) and Film Finance Inc. (USA), the world’s leading film industry institutions.
In the past years, Kazakhstan’s film industry gets actively involved with the global film business. Eurasia’s business component is already an important element of the event, which promotes Kazakhstani film projects to international markets, top festivals and cinema forums.
Round tables and master classes with the world’s leading filmmakers are held to develop co-productions. Thus, the last year’s Festival saw successful master classes of director Chuck Russel (The Mask, The Scorpion King) and scriptwriter David Franzoni (Gladiator, King Arthur). The remarkable fact is that after his visit to Eurasia, David Franzoni got interested in a new Kazakh film project, while Chuck Russel is already developing his new film Djinn with Kazakhfilm Studios.
The Festival organizers’ main concern is to ensure Kazakh film industry becomes a part of global film community. Modern Kazakh cinema successes are acknowledged all around the world. The number of local films released for domestic distribution is growing year after year. The country’s film industry is on the rise, which is highlighted by holding such major international film forum as Eurasia IFF.
Constant support on the part of President Nazarbayev, as well as systemic measures taken by Kazakhstan’s Government during the past years, establish conditions required for further dynamic growth of local film industry.
We would like to emphasize that the Festival’s 10th anniversary is to be celebrated as part of 100th anniversary of Shaken Aimanov, Kazakhstan’s prominent film director and actor, USSR People’s Artist, which is on the UNESCO Calendar of Great Personalities and Events Anniversaries.
The Festival plans to hold a number of events to pay tribute to Shaken Aimanov’s life and creative works: a retrospective screening of his films, presentation of a book album, the premiere of a documentary, and commemoration meeting. Shaken Kenjetayevich Aimanov dedicated his entire life to development of Kazakh cinema. He is the director of such remarkable films as Beardless Trickster, Land of the Fathers, Our Lovable Doctor, Angel in Taqiyah, which are now Kazakh film classics.