The Adopted Son
an AKTAN ABDYKALYKOV picture
Synopsis
The people of Kyrgyzstan have an ancient tradition: the parents of a large family offer a baby to a childless couple. As a ritual, five old women pass the baby over their bent knees and name it “Beshkempir” (which means five old women)… Azate lives a happy childhood in his small village. One day, he learns he is an adopted son and his life is turned upside down. Uncertain about his identity, he is alienated by this loss and unhappiness from his family and friends and the girl he is so crazy about.
Stills
Press
"With a soundtrack filled with the sounds of nature, and frequent images of the wind in the trees, the movie transports you back to an age when, no matter how sophisticated your environment might have been, your experience of the natural world was fresh and filled with sense of discovery, an age when time seemed to open up endlessly…What this gentle, touching film shows is a group of hard-working human beings living their lives and experiencing the same family and peer-group pressures that apply to people everywhere"
The New York Times
"Beautifully filmed…How the boy copes is at the heart of this short-but-sweet tale"
New York Daily
Festivals
& Awards
Locarno IFF
Silver Leopard
Sundance International Film Festival
Tokyo IFF
Special Mention
Vienna International Film Festival
Public Prize
Angers European First Film Festival
Audience Award, Procirep Award
Buenos Aires International Festival of Indie Cinema
Special Mention
Singapore IFF
FIPRESCI Prize
Special Mention, Silver Screen & Young Cinema Awards
Cottbus Film Festival
Grand Prize
Gijón International Film Festival
Special Jury Prize
Angers Film Festival
Jury Prize
Audience Award
Procirep Prize
Ljubljana Film Festival
Best Film
Belgrade Film Festival
Best Film
Cast & Crew
| Albina Imasheva | |
|---|---|
| Adyr Abylkassimov | |
| Bakyt Djylkytchiev | |
| Mirlan Tchynkodjoïev | |
| Taalai Mederov |
| Director | Aktan Abdykalykov |
|---|---|
| Screenplay | Aktan Abdykalykov, Avtandil Adikoulov, Marat Sarouluo |
| Producers | Irizbaï Alibaev, Cedomir Kolar, Marc Bashet, Frédérique Dumas |
| Cinematography | Khassan Kydyraliev |
| Set Design | Emil Tilevov |
| Sound | Bakyt Niyaraliyev, Gaukhar Sidikova |
| Editor | Tilek Mabetova |
| Music | Nourlan Nyshanov |
Releases