Osa Archivum Catalog

Aksuat

Summary: "Aksuat" - the name of the village, where the director of the film was born and lived. The modern accessories of life, such as mobile phones, cars, and satellite dishes notwithstanding, the lifestyle here remains essentially traditional, with the decision of the "elder" - local mob leader - controlling any action that is taken in the community. The story line evolves around the relationship of two brothers: Kanat and Aman. Kanat is a quintessential "new Kazakh", flat broke and disenchanted, who comes back to the village with his pregnant Russian wife. The elder brother Aman has lived in the village all his life, built a house, settled down but never married. "Aksuat" marks the breaking point in the development of Kazakh cinema in the era following the collapse of the USSR and the attainment of independence. The fates of the two brothers are the metaphors of the possible nation-building. The ones who leave lose their roots and moral values embedded in the traditional background. Those who stay in the countryside live a hard life in a corrupt, unjust society. But for all the hardships, the protagonists remain on their mothers' land. Thus, Aman's is the punch line of the film: "This is my house, my matches." The premier of the film in Kazakhstan went unnoticed. Later it received a Special Jury prize at IFF "Eurasia - 98"; prize of the Jury at the "Festival of Three Continents" in Nantes - 99, etc.

Item Type	Current Location	Call Number	Status	Shelving Location	Public Note
DVD-ROM	OSA Film Library	FL Record 0617	Available	-	-
Digital film	OSA Film Library	FL Record 0617 (HU_OSA_00002349.mp4)	Available		Access Copy, MP4 format