Kazakhstan Film Week opens in Dubai with musical and sports drama
Kazakhstan Film Week began November 6 at Reel Cinemas in The Dubai Mall, bringing two Kazakh films to audiences as part of celebrations for Kazakhstan's Republic Day. Dubai Media Council organized the event with the Consulate General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Dubai and the Northern Emirates; screenings continue through November 8.
Nadia El-Sayed
From a musical opening to a sports drama
Sanat Shapashov's 2025 film "Baqyt Qushagynda" (In the Embrace of Happiness) opened the program and returns for a free community screening on November 7. The first Kazakh-language jukebox musical draws on the songs of composer Shamshi Kaldayakov.
At the center of the story is Bakhyt, who has several degrees but cannot find a job. After relocating with his family from Arys to Astana, he becomes the personal assistant to the head of an influential oil holding company. A romance follows, before he faces a choice between love and life.
The November 8 screening is Yernar Nurgaliyev's sports drama "Alga" (The Start). Two brothers become involved in crime after their father's tragic death, but a visiting athletics coach offers them another direction.
"Alga" has received awards at Luleå, Paladino d'Oro, the Barcelona Indie Awards and Iran's International Sports Film Festival. According to Kazinform, its honors at the Iranian festival's 14th edition, announced in December 2024, included Best Director for Nurgaliyev and Best Supporting Actor for Erik Zholzhaksynov.
The music and production behind "Baqyt Qushagynda"
Tengrinews reported that the musical premiered on October 23, 2025, a date selected to coincide with Kazakhstan's commemoration of the 95th anniversary of Kaldayakov's birth. Its soundtrack features new recordings of 12 of his songs with a symphony orchestra. His son, Mukhtar Kaldayakov, and Mukhtar's wife, Botagoz Kaldayakova, served as the film's music producers.
The production took roughly a month and was filmed entirely in Astana. About 230 actors and dancers performed to a Kaldayakov song in its largest ensemble scene; other scenes involved 80 people at a time, according to Tengrinews.
The film marks Shapashov's feature-length directorial debut. Its director and lead producer graduated from the New York Film Academy and previously belonged to the KVN comedy team "Kazakhi".
Before its premiere, the film was presented at the third Eurasian Film Market, which ended in Almaty on October 1, 2025. There, its producer said the production had been filmed entirely in Astana and would be released with Russian and English subtitles.
International screenings followed: New York hosted the film on October 25, 2025, for Kazakhstan's Republic Day, and it was the closing film of the seventh International Festival of Kazakh Cinema in France. That festival took place in central Paris from October 29 to November 2, 2025.
A Republic Day cultural program
The opening VIP screening brought together Shapashov; Almaz Tasbolat, Kazakhstan's consul general in Dubai and the Northern Emirates; Hesham Al Olama, CEO of Dubai Media Council's Media Development Sector; and Samr Al Marzooqi, film commissioner at the Dubai Films and Games Commission, along with other guests and partners.
Tasbolat noted that Kazakhstan celebrated Republic Day on October 25. He described the screenings as an invitation to learn about the country's heritage and people's present-day experiences through film, and said cultural exchanges offer opportunities for people in Kazakhstan and the UAE to better understand one another.
The event belongs to Dubai Cinema Nights, which holds cinema events throughout the year. Dubai Media Council says the initiative gives Dubai's diverse communities opportunities to share their heritage, connect with Emirati society and develop cultural and creative partnerships.
Al Olama emphasized cinema's ability to connect communities and share national stories. Al Marzooqi said hosting the filmmakers demonstrated the Council's commitment to relationships with film industries internationally and to welcoming both their films and future productions in Dubai.
Another date on Dubai's film calendar
In a separate announcement on September 17, 2026, Dubai Media Council confirmed the return of the Dubai International Film Festival. Its 15th edition is scheduled to open on December 8, 2027, with a focus on Middle Eastern cinema and talent.
