NUR-SULTAN – The drama film “Mukagali” directed by Bolat Kalymbetov, will be premiered at the 25th edition of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival starting on Nov. 12 and continuing through Nov. 28, reported Kazakhfilm’s director Akan Satayev during the movie’s premiere in Almaty.
A frame from “Mukagali” movie. Photo credit: kursiv.kz
Since its establishment in 1997, the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival has grown into one of the biggest film festivals and leading cinema events in the Baltics.
As of 2014 the festival has acquired FIAPF accreditation for holding an international competition programme which puts the festival into the so-called A-category of film festivals, alongside the other 14 festivals in the world.
This year’s program includes the screening of 19 films, three of which are not part of the competition.
“We are proud of films selected for the 25th anniversary of the festival, which both amaze and allow us to discover something new, and touch our hearts,” says festival’s director Tiina Lokk.
Being a biographical drama film, “Mukagali” tells a story about the last three years of the great Kazakh poet, writer and translator Mukagali Makatayev (1931 – 1976). Despite his harsh fate and the hardships the writer went through, he gave his full commitment and devoted his short, but bright life to his creative work.
The filming for “Mukagali” began in the summer of 2019. As the director noted, the film crew had to travel almost all of Kazakhstan to find a city similar to old Almaty. The team eventually chose Ust-Kamenogorsk, where the old streets and houses are well preserved.
“Herd Immunity” – a movie directed by Adilkhan Yerzhanov, will be showcased in the main competition, while “18 kHz” directed by Farkhat Sharipov will be presented in the Youth Programme category.
