Documentary Film Night Held at MNU

Last Friday, the Public Library hosted a screening of short documentary films by the Head of Educational Programms of International School of Journalism Meruert Zhakiyanova and kazakhstani filmmaker Ilyas Otan. Students, faculty, and guests attended the event to explore the new wave of Kazakhstani documentary cinema.

The program featured three films:

• Dears — follows Dimash superfans from California traveling to Kazakhstan (9 min.), official selection of Qara Film Festival 2023;
• Segiz — about foreigners’ journey to a mysterious lake in Southern Kazakhstan (29 min.), winner of the Audience Award for Best Documentary at International Road Movie Festival 2021;
• Surfactant — the story of a relocant who escaped mobilization and began a new life in Kazakhstan (13 min.), semifinalist of The Student Academy Awards (Oscar) and part of ArtDocFest Riga 2024.

After the screenings, the audience engaged in an open discussion with the filmmakers, asking questions about the creative process and the stories behind the films. The evening became a celebration of authentic storytelling and the growing strength of Kazakhstan’s documentary scene. Watch