Becoming
Kazakhstan
|
2025
|
Color
|
94 min
Kazakhstan is a relatively young country: only 34 years have passed since its independence, and in that time it has already experienced several waves of changes that have shaped its history and identity. In today's Kazakhstan, 17-year-old Mila can no longer bear the chaos of her family life. Her world takes a turn when she discovers an open-water swimming team led by the enigmatic Vlad. Drawn by the promise of discipline and belonging, she decides to join, finding in the sport a refuge she had never known before. But the stability she begins to build is fragile. When her place on the team is threatened, the fear of losing it grows, and Mila faces a difficult decision: how far is she willing to go to protect the balance she has worked so hard to achieve?
Technical Details
Direction:
Zhannat Alshanova
Cinematography:
Caroline Champetier
Language:
Kazakh and Russian
Production:
Zhannat Alshanova, Denis Vaslin, Fleur Knopperts, Marija Razgutè.
Sound:
Ranko Paukovic
Subtitles:
Spanish and English
Screenplay:
Zhannat Alshanova
Editing:
Lila Desiles
Cast:
Tamiris Zhangazinova, Valentin Novopolskij; Medina Sagindykova; Assel Kaliyeva.
Director
Zhannat Alshanova
Zhannat Alshanova is a writer, director, and producer, based between Almaty (Kazakhstan) and London (United Kingdom). Her work focuses on stories of people in transit, caught between changing cultures, identities, and narratives, always exploring the tension between the personal and the social. Her short films have been screened at some of the world's most prestigious festivals, including Cannes Cinéfondation (End of Season, 2018), Sundance (Paola Makes a Wish, 2019), and TIFF (History of Civilization, 2020), the latter winning the Pardi di Domani award at Locarno. She also heads Accidental Films, an independent production company dedicated to visually bold and emotionally charged cinema.
