Kazakhstan: Montage of Cinemas: Why You Must Attend The Last Night

 I’m going to be blunt: if you haven’t already you must go to the closing day of the Kazakhstan: Montage of Cinemas - Film & Cultural Festival.  I know you think your schedule is packed full of important work related, droning activities. I know you have kids, dogs, and assistants that need constant attention, and you don’t know how on earth you could drop all of these things for a little Eastern European film. Luckily for you, I’m here to tell you that you too can learn the art of procrastination, the joy of ditching work, school, your parent’s birthday party, for this extremely important cultural event.  

Kazakhstan, a large and ethnically diverse country centrally located in Eurasia, formerly colonized by Russia, has grown exponentially its film industry since Sacha Baron Cohen’s controversial mocumentary Borat hit theaters in 2006, profiling the comical experiences of Kazakh journalist’s first trip to America. Despite the controversial and problematic aspects of Borat, Kazakhofficials have since thanked Sacha Baron Cohen for the influx of tourists that Borat has attracted to the nation. With a little help from Borat’s success, but more importantly because of the dedication of Kazakh independent filmmakers striving to make it on the international film scene, Kazakhstan has a small but lively film industry. The films coming out of Kazakhstan exude cultural and historical potency.  They tell stories that speak of Kazakhstan’s rich past and vivid present. 

From Slambek Tauekel's The Promise Land

Being shown to non-VIP attendees at 7:30 pm tonight, The Promised Land, directed by Slambek Tauekel, depicts the tale of more than a million innocent people were forcibly deported to Kazakhstan in the 1930s, contributing to the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of the land and truly making Kazakhstan the country it is today.  

If you miss out on tonight’s last evening of Kazakh film, I can guarantee you that tomorrow morning you will have wished that you had just taken the night off and watched The Promised Land. Yes, you’ve already missed out on the opening night reception that was co-hosted by world-renowned Hollywood actor, Armand Assante, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still be a part of a festival that truly boasts the complexity and beauty of Kazakhstan. 

 Tonight’s screenings are being shown at 7:30pm at:

Directors Guild of America
7920 Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90046

Screenings are free, and parking is complimentary