Scream

“Scream” by Kenzhebek Shaikakov, Kazakhstan, 2023, 108’

World premiere: Busan IFF 2023

Synopsis:  

Melis, a resident of a small village near the test area, and his little son Zhalgas live a carefree life like other residents of that village. Zhalgas, a student of the lower class, like other children of the village, looks forward to the day of the test. The reason is that on those days he is exempted from studying at school. It seems that even adults do not understand the dangers and consequences of this test. Or, has the flesh gotten used to the explosion of forty years?

Poster: Scream

Kenzhebek Shaikakov

Biography:

Born in 1977 in the village of Akshi, Aktobe region. Screenwriter, director, actor. Studied at the Institute of Theater and Film named after. T. Zhurgenov, majoring in theatre and film actor; in 1998, he graduated from the class of playwright and writer A. Tarazi, majoring in screenwriter-editor. He worked as a journalist, editor and director on Kazakh television. Actor and screenwriter of a number of feature films, was the second director at the Kazakhfilm film studio. “Shalash” is his directorial debut.

In 2014, Kenzhebek Shaikakov made his debut in the film “Kurko” at the DSfilm film studio with funding from the production centre “Amanat kz”. This film received a prize at the Didor international film festival, held in Dushanbe the same year. In 2015, he was awarded the “Special Jury Prize” nomination at the International Film Festival “Baikal Region”, held in Chita, Russia. In 2015, he was awarded the nomination “Best Directorial Debut” at the international film festival held in Yakutsk. In the same year, he received the “Best Script of the Year” award at the first Kazakhstan “Critics’ Choice”, held in Almaty. Participated in the ARSA Film Festival of the Asia-Pacific Film Academy in Brisbane, Australia, in the Best Screenplay category.