The documentary "Dreams of the River," which received an award at the Berlin Film Festival, will open the QYZQARAS festival in Almaty. The screening will take place on August 20 at the "Tselinny" Center for Contemporary Culture, reports infohub.kz.
For Kazakh audiences, this will be the first opportunity to see the film on the big screen after its international premiere. The film tells the story of the Aksai River, which flows through Kazakhstan. Director Kristina Mikhailova, following the river's 130-kilometer path, introduces viewers to women living along its banks. The heroines' interviews are interwoven with dreams and poetic imagery, turning the river into a metaphor for female strength.
The filmmakers noted: "The work on the film took five years. During this time, the crew conducted more than a hundred interviews and asked thousands of questions, the answers to which turned into a single collective voice of the women of Kazakhstan."
The world premiere of Mikhailova's debut took place at the Berlin International Film Festival, where the film received the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury. After that, the film was invited to more than 20 international film festivals.
The QYZQARAS festival will be held in Almaty from August 20 to 30. It is dedicated to the female perspective in cinema, supporting women directors, and developing feminist film language.