East of the West - Competition 2006 / Sunduk predkov / Russia, Kyrgyzstan, France, Germany 2006
Now settled in Paris, Ajdar’s family contacts him and summons him to his native village in Kirghizia, however, he has no idea how difficult it will be to introduce his French girlfriend Isabelle to his relatives as his bride-to-be. Traditional notions and customs come into irreconcilable conflict with the European way of thinking.
Ajdar, originally from a Kirghiz ail near lake Issyk-kul, has been working in Paris for years, where he now lives with his attractive French girlfriend Isabelle. After repeated requests from his family to come and visit, he sets off with her for his native country, however, he has no idea of the difficulties which lie ahead. While he has become a European, his relatives and neighbours uphold a traditional way of life. They anticipate that Ajdar, too, continues to respect this life, while his mother thinks it’s time he got married. She has already prepared a wedding chest, a trousseau with gifts, for his prospective bride. Thus Ajdar passes off the innocent Isabelle merely as a female friend. Isabelle, relying solely on his translation, unwittingly assumes the role assigned to her. Bewitched by the beauty of this exotic environment and the landscape, she is quite unaware of the depths of Ajdar’s dilemma. But the moment is approaching when both of them will have to resolve the tough issue of their national and cultural identity and weigh up the value of their mutual rewards and losses.
104 min / Color, 35 mm
International premiere
Director Nurbek Egen
/ Screenplay Jekatěrina Tirdatova / Ekaterina Tirdatova
/ Dir. of Photography Dmitrij Jermakov / Dmitry Ermakov
/ Music Alexej Aigui / Alexei Aigui
/ Editor Marat Magambetov
/ Producer Jevgenija Tirdatova / Evgenia Tirdatova
/ Production Kinoglaz
/ Cast Natacha Régnier, Bolot Tentimyšov / Bolot Tentimyshov, Tynara Abdrasajeva / Tynara Abdrasaeva, Melis Šaršenbajev / Melis Sharshenbaev, Asan Amanov
/ Contact Mact Productions, Kinoglaz
Nurbek Egen (b. 1975, Osh region, Kirghizia) graduated from the Institute of Art in Bishkek and subsequently studied direction at VGIK (1999). After his college film One Day Older (Na dyen starshe, 1997) and his degree film Closed Space (Zakryty kosmos, 1999), he made the documentary Sanzhyra (2001 – screened in competition at the KV IFF). He then directed a number of TV series: The Late Supper (Pozdny uzhin, 2001–02), Villises. Brides (Villisy. Nyevesty, 2002), Secret Sign 2. The Master’s Return (Tayny znak 2. Vozvrashcheniye khozyayina, 2003). The coproduction film The Wedding Chest is his feature debut. He is currently filming the TV series The Network (Set).
Mact Productions
27, rue de Fleurus, 75006, Paris
France
Phone: +33 1 454 910 10
Fax: +33 1 454 930 60
E-mail: [email protected]
Kinoglaz
Krasnopresnenskaya nab. 1/2 - 129, 123100, Moscow
Russia
Phone: +7 495 205 0658
Fax: +7 495 205 0658
E-mail: [email protected]
Evgenia Tirdatova
Festival Organizer, Producer
Nurbek Egen
Film Director
Natacha Régnier
Actor
Dmitry Ermakov
Director of Photography
First-hand brews throughout the year.
Be among the first to learn about upcoming events and other news. We only send the newsletter when we have something to say.
