Kazakh Animated Movie ‘Muzbalak’ Wins Best Animated Film Awards at International Film Festivals in Sweden, India

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakhfilm studio’s full-length animated film titled “Muzbalak” recently won the nomination of the Best Animation Film at two international film festivals – the Swedish Stockholm Film & Television Festival and the Indian Golden Bee international children’s film festival, the Kazakhfilm studio reported on their instagram page.

“Muzbalak” movie poster. Photo credit: Kazakhfilm studio.

“Muzbalak” narrates the story of a golden eagle domesticated by a man. The film is about friendship, and the mutual trust of the bird and the man. Turdybek Maidan and Tilek Toleugazy, the movie directors, made the movie with state support.

The Kazakhfilm released “Muzbalak” in 2018. The same year, the animated movie won Best Animated Film of the Kazakh Kulager Prize of the Cinematographers Union.

In 2019, the movie won Best Animated Film at the 24th German Schlingel international film festival for children and youth and received a special jury prize at the 14th “V Krugu Semyi (In a Family Circle)” international film festival in Russia.

“We thank our crew who assisted in making the movie. We hope our next project Altyn Adam (Golden Man) will also win big prizes,” Toleugazy added.

“Altyn adam” is one of the most expensive projects of Kazakhfilm studio for the next year. It’s budget totals 378.0 million tenge (US$885,813.1).

Despite the pandemic, Kazakh animators work to produce new children’s cartoons such as the Yrysy Ak Kazakstan (Blessed Kazakhstan) company’s “Karavan Istorii (Caravan of History),”  “Kenzhe Kyz (Youngest Daughter)” by the Aday Production animation studio, “Erketay” by Art Mara, and “Kolybelnaya (Lullaby)” by Dala animation. The Kazakh animators have high ambitions and confidence in soon streaming their cartoons on the world’s biggest streaming entertainment services such as Netflix, ivi, and Amediateka.


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