One of the programmes of V IFF «Eurasia» would be dedicated to “Kazakh New Wave” which emerged 20 years ago and the year 1988 shall be considered the starting point with the release of “The Needle” by Rashid Nugmanov. What was the effect of this “wave”? Who was the part of it? What films did it include? What did it produce for Kazakhstan? This programme of the festival would allow to answer all these questions as well as to discuss the newest history of Kazakhstani cinema. The audience should also expect meetings with film directors – the creators of the “New Wave” films.
«There is no entrance but a magnificent one»
In the late 1980s a number of young people striving for a change in Kazakhstan’s cinema came to “Kazakhfilm” studio. Back then, a philosopher and culturist Murat Auezov was the chief editor and each session of artistic counsel resembled the construction of an intellectual building called cinematography. M. Auezov used to say: «With all absolute or relative achievements of our culture, for the last twenty years the cinema dropped out form the level of cultural Kazakhstani process. That’s why the field of cinematography is positioned as the artistic intelligence’s careful attention zone. It results in the entry of talented people, the accumulation of creative people ready for the breakthrough». He is also the one who said the words that «the state of cinema is so depressive, that there is no entrance but a magnificent one».
The deeds were following the words. Initiated by Goskino headed by Olzhas Suleimenov at that time, film director Sergey Solviev selected students to Kazakhstani workshop, set up at VGIK. And the first students became the representatives of young artistic intellectuals: architect Rashid Nugmanov, historian Abay Karpykov, poet Amir Karakulov, Arabist Bakhyt Kilibayev, philologist Ardak Amirkulov, mathematician Darezhan Omirbayev, playwrights Leyla Akhinzhanova and Alexander Baranov, painter Murat Musin and others. It wasn’t just a group of young men sent to study at VGIK, they were assigned a mission – to create new Kazakh cinema. And when studying came to an end, “Kazakhfilm” studio launched feature film productions of almost all of these students. Moreover, they supported the most challenging and the most unexpected projects. “The Needle” by Rashid Nugmanov emerged in such way becoming the banner of “reconstruction”, «Last Stop» by Serik Aprymov, «Little Fish in Love» by Abay Karpykov, «Home Wrecker» by Amir Karakulov, «The Fall of Otrar» by Ardak Amirkulov, «Kairat» by Darezhan Omirbayev and others. However the “New Kazakh Wave” wasn’t noticed in Kazakhstan, on the contrary the works by the young were harshly criticized. The Wave was spotted and promoted in Moscow and then further on to international film festivals. From the late 80s until the end of 90s almost every festival considered an honor to receive the new Kazakh film.
What did the “Wave” do for the country?
«Kazakh New Wave» was the first to mark independent Kazakhstan on world map. The cinematographers were the first ones to do that in the field of culture. Let’s recollect: when the independence was just declared, the film festivals were already giving out prizes to the films of the country which was absolutely unknown to everyone.
Second of all, it changed the paradigm of art from the soviet to none-soviet. Young independent people who wanted and were able to build their own lives emerged from the cinema. So the minds changed first and then the reality. It’s noteworthy, that our “wave” started earlier than the collapse of Soviet Union. In the late 80s the soviet distribution still operated and, let’s say, the film was watched by 13 million viewers. And that wasn’t just a film about a super hero, the film was about the coming of new time, new heroes, it showed the dying of the outmoded old system.
Third of all – it laid the basis of nation-construction, tearing us away from soviet past and making us look towards what new and independent Kazakhstan should be like.
Let’s take the works of Serik Aprymov as example. Each film of his is a stage in country’s life. “Last Stop” (1989) – the denial of old soviet experience. «Aksuat» (1998) – a very important film in establishing Kazakh self-awareness. «Three Brothers» (2000) – a film, showing post-colonial reflections and, at last, «The Hunter» (2003) – the creation of a new myth about the new\old nation of Kazakhs.
Films by Darezhan Omirbayev also portray the reflections of young individuals in the moment of entering new life. Through his films, the director speaks not only about the change of social formation but also touches upon particularly domestic problems in Kazakhstan. Thus, the films «Kairat» (1991) and «Cardiogram» (1995) concern different spheres – urban and village, and correspondingly, the people speaking Russian and Kazakh. Darezhan addresses the social criticism of the public in his film «Killer» (1998).
If Serik Aprymov works with myths and Darezhan Omirbayev with social problems, Amir Karakulov deals with models of family in his films such as “Home Wrecker”, “Pigeon Ringer”, “Zhylama”, and Ardak Amirkulov works with historical material: «The Fall of Otrar», «Abay», «Farewell, Gulsary». By means of their creations, almost every film director of the “New Wave” covered the entire layer of issues and problems, not to mention the stylistic and artistic quests.
What did it show to the World?
The phenomenon of “Kazakh New Wave” as a social event ended in 2000-2001 with the following films: “Three Brothers” by Serik Aprymov and “Zhylama” by Amir Karakulov. And the film “Zhol” by Darezhan Omirbayev has closed this chapter being an ironical story about the film directors of the “new wave”. Sure enough, we can’t say that “Kazakh New Wave” is twenty years old. We’d rather say that it’s been twenty years since the spring of the “wave” because there isn’t a single cultural movement that would last more than 10-12 years. Italian “neorealism” and the “French New Wave” existed for approximately the same period. The phenomenon is over but directors are still shooting films.
Today is time to take a newer look on the contribution of the “new-wavers” to the culture of independent Kazakhstan. Films by Darezhan Omirbayev participated in competitions of Cannes and Venice and “Killer” received Grand-Prix in the Un Certain Regard programme. Newspapers wrote the following headliners about Amir Karakulov: “Venice from Amir Karakulov to Nagisa Oshima”. Quentin Tarantino handed him the Grand-Prix award for “Pigeon Ringer” at the festival in Turin. Film “Lat Holidays” received Grand-Prix at the film festival in Tokyo. Serik Aprymov’s films ranged the whole world and received many prizes. One of the last prizes – “Nika” was given to his film “The Hunter” for the best foreign film.
The entrance was, indeed, a magnificent one and each one of these film directors deserve to be honored by Kazakh nation and all Kazakhstani citizens, for now Kazakhstan is not only famous for its oil but for highly intellectual cinema as well.
V IFF «Eurasia» programme will include such films as: “The Needle” by Rashid Nugmanov, «The Hunter» by Serik Aprymov, «The Fall of Otrar» by Ardak Amirkulov, “Zhol” by Darezhan Omirbayev, «The Tender One» by Abay Karpykov, «Zhylama» by Amir Karakulov, and also the shot films «Toro» by Talgat Temenov, «Shilde» by Darezhan Omirbayev. The viewers will also get a chance to meet with the creators of these films.
Gulnara Abikeyeva
IFF “Eurasia” Artistic Director
More detailed information on films, programmes, jury, prizes, participants and guests of the film festival “Eurasia” will be available in the next issues of the bulletin and at www.eurasiaiff.kz
