Heavenly Nomadic

September 26, 2017 - 8 pm @ IL Kino.


A family of nomads live in the high, remote mountains of Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia; elderly herdsman Tabyldy, his wife Karachach, their daughter-in-law Shaiyr and their 7 year old granddaughter Umsunai. Shaiyr’s son studies in the city and visits them only during the summer holidays.  Her husband died many years ago when he was drowned in a mountain river, trying to save a foal.  Shaiyr decided to stay with the family due to her strong attachment to the wonderful land and its people. The family breed horses and life goes on as normal amidst the beautiful scenery of the mountain gorge.  But another resident of the area appears in Shaiyr’s life, meteorologist Ermek, whose weather station is located near to the family’s home.

Cast & Crew

Cast: Tabyldy Aktanov, Jibek Baktybekova, Taalaikan Abazova, Anar Nazarkulova, Jenish Kangeldiev
Scriptwriter: Mirlan Abdykalykov
Director of photography: Talant Akynbekov
Editor: Murat Ajiev, Eldiar Madakim
Producers: Sadyk Sher-Niyaz
Co-Producers: Altynai Koichumanova
Production company: Aitysh Film
Co-production company: Oy Art Film Producing Company

Festivals & Awards

– KYRGYZ ENTRY FOR OSCARS 2016
– Karlovy Vary IFF 2015, Czech Republic – East of West Competition
– Haifa IFF 2015, Israel
– Kinoshock FF 2015, Russia – Grand-Prix
– Eurasia Int’l Film Festival 2015, Kazachstan – Grand-PrixSpecial Diploma of the Jury(Zhibek Baktybekovoy awarded for “a brilliant and sincere performance as granddaughter”)
– Sao Paulo IFF, Brazil
– Asian World Film Festival 2015, USA – Main Competition
– Cottbus IFF, Germany
– Brisbane Asia Pacific FF, Australia – APSA Academy NETPAC Development Prize for emerging talent
– Russian Film Academy – NIKA-Award – Best Film from CIS and Baltic countries
– Beijing International Film Festival, China
– Istanbul Film Festival, Turkey
– Duhok Film Festival, Iraq

Director Mirian Abdykalykov
Country Kyrgyzstan
Year 2015
Length 81 min
Language Kyrgyz with English subtitles

About the director

Mirlan Abdykalykov (b. 1982) studied journalism at Kyrgyz National University (1999-2004) but he has been active in the film industry since childhood. In 1993 he landed his first lead role in Swing (Altybakan, 1993), directed by Aktan Abdykalykov, today known by the pseudonym Aktan Arym Kubat. Their cooperation continued on further projects: The Adopted Son (Beshkempir, 1998 – screened in the East of the West section at KVIFF 1999) premiered at Sundance and The Chimp (Maimil, 2001) competed in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes. Since 2004 he has assistant directed for Begym film studio, working in the same position on Abdykalykov’s The Light Thief (Svet-Ake, 2010), which also screened at Cannes. In 2008 he founded Selkinchek productions, which turns out not only commercials and social network videos, but also shorts and documentaries.