The story of a Chinese-trained opera singer living in a remote Kazakh village with her grandmother and her ailing young niece. The bulk of the action consists of the steadfast heroine trying to make enough money to get the rare and costly medicine that may save her niece's life. What makes the film so thrilling is that this elemental situation allows the director and his cast of non-actors to illuminate the details of everyday life: reality and fiction dissolve into each other, and the audience achieves a heightened awareness of simple activities like the cooking of a meal, teaching a child to count in Chinese and English, visits to the doctor or the marketplace. Entirely improvised by the filmmaker and his actors.
Where to watch
Not streaming anywhere
Not on any streaming service in United States, and not available to rent.
Your rating
Your review
Cast
3 people
Amir Karakulov Director · Elena Gordeeva Screenplay Murat Nugmanov Cinematographer
First release January 1, 2002 · Produced in Kazakhstan · Original title Jylama
Production
Kazakhfilm Studios
Production
Kazakhstan
Produced in
Languages
Original title
Jylama
Original language
Kazakh
Spoken on screen
Kazakh
Release dates
Russia · January 1, 2002
Limited theatrical · Year accurate, month and day not.
No release date listed for United States.
Greece
November 21, 2003 · Theatrical
More from Amir Karakulov
Other films they directed, best known first.
