ASTANA – The upcoming Comic Con Astana 2025 will feature a special presentation of “The Truce,” a historical drama set in Kazakhstan’s Karlag labor camp. The project marks the first film co-produced by Kazakhstan and Spain for global release, including distribution on Netflix.
Photo credit: Comic Con Astana
Directed by Miguel Ángel Vivas, known for his work on “Money Heist” (“La Casa de Papel”), the film is in the final stages of post-production. A theatrical and streaming premiere is scheduled for late autumn or winter 2025. It will also be shown out of competition at the San Sebastián International Film Festival in September.
Set between 1937 and 1945, the film follows two Spaniards, former comrades on opposing sides of the Civil War, and a Kazakh, imprisoned in Karlag, struggling to preserve his humanity. The film addresses themes of historical memory, moral choice and resilience, while highlighting Kazakhstan’s role in offering refuge and solidarity during one of history’s darkest chapters.
The cast includes Spanish actors Miguel Herrán (“Money Heist”) and Arón Piper (“Elite”), alongside Kazakh actors Dina Tasbulatova, Sergey Ufimtsev, Altynai Nogerbek and Farabi Akkozov. Dubbing into Kazakh and Russian is currently underway.
The film is a joint production between Spanish Plano a Plano and Kazakh Amanat Capital. Producers include César Benítez, Emilio Amaré, and Emilio A. Pina, who is also expected to appear at the convention. From the Kazakh side, the project is led by general producer Amanat Konakbayev with Dair Karakeev, Dauren Baigaliyev and UMAIFILM’s Zharaskhan Kulpiyenov and Aliya Dalabayeva. Coordination is overseen by media executive Yerlan Bekkhozhin.
Comic Con Astana 2025 will run from July 9 to 13 and expand to two venues, Astana Arena and Barys Arena, making it the largest edition to date. Since its launch in 2019, the convention has grown into a major regional platform for film, animation, gaming, cosplay and digital media.
