Spotlight: New Kazakh Cinema – 2022
The second “Spotlight: New Kazakh Cinema” will be held on September 19 during the IX Eurasia International Film Festival. SPOTLIGHT: NEW KAZAKH CINEMA is a business platform for development and financing of the feature-length fiction film projects from Kazakhstan and also for develpoment of international coproduction.
Over 60 applications were submitted to the first “Spotlight: New Kazakh Cinema”. Emir Baigazin’s “Harmony Lessons” film project won the top prize (financial support by “Kazakhfilm” studio and international promotion) and became the first Kazakhstani film to participate in the main competition of the Berlin International Film Festival and to win Silver Bear for best camerawork along with the prize of the Berliner Morgenpost Readers’ Jury for best feature film. It was also awarded Special Jury Mention in the “Best New Narrative Director” category at Tribeca Film Festival and top prizes at the 3rd Bildrausch Film Fest Basel, 39th Seattle International Film Festival and 21st Art Film Fest International Film Festival. The film was well received by film critics.
Projects “On the Way Home” by Talgat Bektursynov which is currently under development and “The Journalist” (currently in post-production) by Adilkhan Yerzhanov both received special mention awards.
Funding bodies, producers, sales agents, representatives of the co-production markets and festivals from all over the world are expected to attend the SPOTLIGHT: NEW KAZAKH CINEMA to find out about Kazakhstan’s culture, breathtaking shooting locations, to meet local filmmakers and to find a project for future cooperation.
SPOTLIGHT: NEW KAZAKH CINEMA includes a pitching session of the 8 Kazakh projects selected through a nationwide competition. The project winning the pitching session will be partly financed by JCS Kazakhfilm Studio named after Shaken Aimanov.
The event also features round tables, one-on-one meetings etc.
The deadline for submission is until August 25, 2022.
Project’s selecting criteria:
- Auteur feature film which is under development;
- Each applicant should have a finished script;
- High potential for international and European distribution;
- Production budget under 1 million USD.
Application requierements:
- Complete Application Form;
- Detailed synopsis (in Russian and English languages), 3 pages;
- Director’s statement (in Russian and English languages), 1 page.
You can also take part in the “Spotlight: New Kazakh Cinema” without a film project. Entry is free for all representatives of Kazakh cinema industry (producers, film directors, screenwriters, distributors, students etc.). You must submit your Accreditation Form by e-mail.