Kazakhstan's "Bauryna Salu" Poised for International Recognition

Kazakhstan’s film industry is set to significantly boost with the upcoming feature “Bauryna Salu,” which has executive production support from famed Afghan filmmaker Siddiq Barmak. This collaboration elevates the film to a serious candidate for the Academy Awards’ international feature category.

Askhat Kuchinchirekov’s film Bauryna Salu portrays an intimate story steeped in Kazakh tradition. It focuses on Yersultan, a young boy raised by his grandmother by a cultural practice in which first-born children are frequently nurtured by grandparents rather than their parents.

The narrative captures Yersultan’s emotional journey as he deals with familial separation. At the age of twelve, he must return to his estranged parents after his grandmother’s death. Critical acclaim has already been raw for this intimate representation. Film writer Siddhant Adlakha praised the film’s “stunning commitment to cinematic realism” and emotional depth.

Siddiq Barmak’s presence lends substantial significance to the project. Barmak, known for his 2003 film “Osama,” which won the Golden Globe for Foreign Language Film and the Camera d’Or at Cannes, believes “Bauryna Salu” will appeal to everyone. “This movie is important for America, France, Russia, India, Afghanistan,” he told me. “It’s a movie for all audiences, in all countries.”

The film has already won multiple awards on the international festival circuit. It won Best Youth Film at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards and the Tulpar National Film Award for Best Film in Kazakhstan. It has also received top awards at festivals in Baku, Bishkek, and Helmat. Its inclusion in the San Sebastián Film Festival’s New Directors section acknowledges its creative significance.

The remarkable cast of Bauryna Salu includes Yersultan Yerman, Aidos Auesbay, Bigaysha Salkyn, Dinara Shymyrbay, Damir Daurenuly, and Yerkin Berikuly. With WILLA gaining global rights, the film is set for worldwide distribution. In 2025, the company wants to release films in theatres and on streaming platforms.