Film: Songs from the South Seas (Kazakhstan)

[Jamshyd]

I caught this one in the Sarajevo Film Festival. Being a Kazakh film is in and of itself enough to stir my interest.

The film is about the lives of Russian (and German) migrants who have been living in Kazakhstan since the USSR. Like the other few Kazakh films I've seen, central themes include horses, the harshness of life on the Steppe, and of course, ethnic tensions amongst the various groups.

A Russian wife gives birth to a child with Kazakh features. The Father (also Russian) is furious and suspects his wife has cheated on him with his Kazakh neighbour.

The movie vaguely traces the parents' reconciliation with the child's journey to his nomadic roots.

The characters are very likeable, especially (for me) the wife. Like other Kazakh movies I saw, this one is peppered here and there with comedic moments, despite its grim setting, all the while giving a rather eye-opening exposition of the realities (?) of life on the Steppe.

I highly recommend it .

4/5

 

[Jamshyd]

BUMP.

I doubt anyone has seen this. I am actually having a hard time finding a copy of it to watch it again.

But what the heck, maybe someone has...

Here is a "trailer" of sorts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g3rHeNI0b4&NR=1

And a clip with English subs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16PstJ8ooDg

I wish I could find out the name of the actress who played the Russian Wife. She is definitely underrated, internationally at least. She played the part so well, you can't help but empathize with the character.