When you suppose that movie from Kazakhstan equals Borat, the fictional character created by Sacha Baron Cohen, chances are you’ll need to suppose once more – and are available out to the Screen Festival at SXSW London 2026 for the newest cinematic proof. In spite of everything, Kazakhstan is again on the town and able to make a splash.
Anna Bogutskaya, the pinnacle of display at SXSW London, and her crew have booked an eclectic mixture of theatrical and collection choices. However Kazakhstani cinema options extra prominently than most would anticipate from the Central Asian nation with a inhabitants of about 21 million.
“We’ve got two features from Kazakhstan this year,” which each get to have a good time their U.Okay. premieres on the fest, highlights Bogutskaya, together with a brief. “That is a territory that is just exploding. There’s so much [going on].”
The one movie is Zhannat Alshanova’s debut characteristic Turning into, about teenage swimmer Mila (portrayed by Tamiris Zhangazinova), who takes care of the household residence and her child sister whereas her mom pursues affairs and alternatives. It premiered at Locarno 2025.
‘Becoming’ movie nonetheless, courtesy of SXSW London
The opposite characteristic within the SXSW London highlight is Aitore Zholdaskali’s Sicko, a thriller and social drama a couple of couple making a fortune by faking most cancers, starring Ayan Utepbergen and Dilnaz Kurmangali, which world premiered at Rotterdam 2026. The film is the filmmaker’s first solo characteristic directorial effort.
In the meantime, the brief movie from Kazakhstan at SXSW London this yr is My Brother Lyosha and I, from Lena Tronina, which is ready within the Nineties and focuses on Lyosha and Lena, who “must rely on each other to endure quiet cycles of violence at home,” based on a synopsis.
Bogutskaya expects extra movies from Kazakhstan to hit the pageant circuit and probably the world stage. “We had a film from there last year as well,” particularly Adilkhan Yerzhanov’s horror characteristic Cadet, in addition to Dastan Zhapar Ryskeld’s Deal on the Border from neighboring Kyrgyzstan, about two younger runners doing a giant drug lord’s soiled work by shifting illicit packages throughout the river that marks the border between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
“It is so exciting what’s happening there and in that [whole] region,” concludes Bogutskaya. “So we’re definitely keeping an eye on that part of the world.”
