Week of Kazakhstan’s movie in Germany

Berlin, November 17, 2009 (Khabar) - Kazakhstan’s film directors, playwrights and actors have all taken part in the 19th Film Festival Cottbus and the week of Kazakhstan’s movies in Berlin. These events were held as part of Kazakhstan’s year in Germany. The campaign also included such events as a performance of the Kurmangazy Kazakh Orchestra and the Republican German Theatre, friendly boxing matches between Astana and Berlin, presentation of books by Kazakhstan’s writers, pictures, forums and conferences. Germany has never had such a large-scale programme held as part of such cultural events. Opening the week of Kazakhstan’s movie, the Republic’s ambassador to Germany, Nurlan Onzhanov said that 90 out of the 100 events that were planned to be held as part of the year of Kazakhstan in Germany have successfully been completed. The Kyz-Zhybek movie opened the festival in Berlin.

Hans-Erich Bilges, media expert:
- I am happy to see Kazakh movies. It is impressive. We have become closer despite being so distant geographically.

Berbel Fogler:
- I have seen your steppes and landscape. I liked the movie where a woman plays the leading role.

The German audience warmly welcomed the lead actors who played Zhibek and Tolegen. They are famous theatre and movie actors, Meruert Utekesheva and Kuman Tastanbekov who have happily lived together for 40 years.

Meruert Utekesheva, honoured artiste of RK:
- This legend about the love of Tolegen and Zhibek will live forever. Those who took part in the movie are Kazakhstan’s famous actors including Kenenbai Kozhabekov, Idris Nogaibayev and Anuar Moldabekov. They contributed a lot to the creation of this movie as well as our director Sultan-Akhmet Khodzhikov.

In both Cottbus and Berlin, local audiences also saw some more of Kazakhstan’s movies including “The life story of an accordionist”, “Nomad”, “Kelin”, “Afalina’s jump” and “Goodbye Gulsary”.