Herd Immunity
Only few directors in the world are capable to make 3 different films in one year. Unstoppable Kazakh workaholic Adilkhan Yerzhanov is one of them. His faithful regular actors Daniar Alshinov (“A Dark-Dark Man”) and Assel Sadvakassova (“Ulbolsyn”) reunite for the funniest comedy of POFF’s Official Selection, intriguingly supported by rare performance of veteran director Bolat Kalymbetov, who is also invited to Tallinn with more serious biographical drama “Mukagali”.
We are back in heavily corrupted lawless Karatas village, which is naturally immune to any honesty and where almost all Yerzhanov’s films are staged. Pandemic lockdown reached even this distant secluded place in the middle of nowhere, but the show of money laundering, scamming deals and illegal vodka business must go on in the shadows of coronavirus, which also must pay bribes to be discovered.
All cops and thugs in Karatas learned their craft from Sidney Lumet, Jean-Pierre Melville, Brian de Palma, Coen Brothers. Local goodly dishonest detective Selkeu adores bribes, supports criminal frauds and lives for a secret dream to choreograph everyone in Karatas for the band of dancers “The Rascals”. He has no choice, but to accomplish dirty deeds of gangster Bola, wannabe the world’s famous movie director.
Improvised dancing with guns & masks comedy offers hilarious approach to film criticism. You better don’t say anything negative to Bolat “Bola” Kalymbetov and don’t ask who is better director (Him or Adilkhan), if you still want to dance one day. Vas Ki Chi…
Edvinas Pukšta
Adilkhan Yerzhanov (b. 1982) graduated from the Kazakh National Academy of Arts, as a film director in 2009 and afterwards he continued his training in New York. He is a two-time participant of the Cannes Film Festival's Official Program ("The Owners" 2014, and "The Gentle Indifference of the World", 2018, Un Certain Regard Section). Winner of “Asia Pacific Screen Awards-2019” (often referred to as “Asian “Oscars”) for “Achievement in Directing” for “A Dark, Dark Man” film. His previous film "Ulbolsyn" (2020) has won the NETPAC Jury Prize as best Asian Film last year's Black Nights FF Official Selection. Member of the EFA (European Film Academy).
Ukkili kamshat (Omanikud, PÖFF 2014), Laskovoe bezrazlichie mira (Maailma õrn ükskõiksus, PÖFF 2018), Sary mysyq (Kollane kass, PÖFF 2020), Ulbolsyn (Ulbolsõn - üksi kõigi vastu, PÖFF 2020), Onbagandar (Karjaimmuunsus, PÖFF 2021), Ademoka's Education (2021), Steppenwolf (2024), Moor (2024)
Grand Prix for The Best Film, grant of 20 000 euros from the city of Tallinn, Award for Best Director, grant of 5000€ from Alexela
