ASTANA – More stories will be told in Kazakh in the film and animation industry, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said in his response to the Senate (upper house of the Parliament) deputy’s request on June 26.
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The government is to allocate 500 million tenge (US$1 million) from the budget to produce animated projects in 2024 — all in the Kazakh language. Thirty-seven animated film scripts are under review this year.
The fund will accelerate the growth of the industry, help launch a new generation of animation filmmakers, and assist established creatives.
The Kazakh-dubbed version of the animated film “Inside Out 2,” which premiered in cinemas on June 14, received widespread audience support.
Meloman, the official distributor of Disney films, plans to release four feature films in Kazakh in total throughout 2024. The State Center for Support of National Cinema also plans to dub 15 imported films into Kazakh in 2024.
Kazakhstan’s cultural policy concept for 2023-2029 aims to increase the share of domestic films, including animated films, by 35% by 2030.
Aidar Omarov, vice president of Kazakhfilm’s national studio, shared his vision for the future of modern domestic Kazakh animation with Kazinform.
“We believe that a good modern Kazakh cartoon should carry educational elements that foster a positive attitude towards cultural, spiritual, and moral-ethical development. At the same time, it should not be boring because modern children have developed their own tastes and preferences in the choice of cartoons. We also should not be inferior to foreign companies in the quality of content produced,” said Omarov.
According to the Culture Committee of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Culture and Information, more than 25 companies specialize in the production of animation content in Kazakhstan, reported Kazinform news agency.
The ministry annually sets priority themes, including patriotism, preservation of folk traditions, protection of family values, maintaining Kazakhstan’s cultural identity while preserving inter-ethnic and inter-confessional harmony, friendship, protection of animals, and humans and nature.
“Animated film refers to socially significant films, which are aimed at increasing the patriotic, spiritual, moral and cultural potential of the country and carry an ideological component, as it affects the younger generation,” reads the committee’s response to Kazinform.
