Oh, yeah, thank you Borat!

Kazakhstan's film industry may not be widely known in the world due to various reasons. It appears as growing complex phenomenon in the modern day history of the country, and, sadly is not listed in the top 100 government investment areas.

It all began with creating the first ever Kazakh Almaty studio feature films just before the Second World War. The studio was widely used for making war films,  both feature and documentary. Moscow transferred there its best equipment and personnel.  

Best of the Kazakh films made during Soviet times include “Heroes of the Steppe” by Roshal, “White Rose” by Aron, “The sounds of dombra” by Minkin (first Kazakh musical), “Amangeldy” by Levin, “Kyz Zhibek”, “Our dear doctor”, “My name is Kozha”  and many more.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the so called “new wave” arrived and started shaping and developing new Kazakh film industry.
New wave created such masterpieces as “Fara”, “Three brothers”, “The Needle”, “Leila's Prayer”, “Mongol”, “The Nomads”, “Abay” and others.

For the last decade Kazakh filmmakers has acquired awards in many prestigious International Film Festivals like San-Francisco, Cannes, Turin, Nantes, Lisbon, Frankfurt, Paris.

Alongside that, modern day Kazakh cinema industry continues to be accused of making films for festivals and various grand prix contests, whereas Kazakh viewers remain to be deprived of watching their own national films.  
There are few reasons as to why Kazakhs are not aware of their own movies, which include poor PR, lack of funding for both state and commercial film companies, preference for making “festival cinema” rather than for ordinary national viewer. There are also certain difficulties in presenting the story line, as some of the newest criminal dramas mostly resemble their Russian counterparts. Another important factor to mention is that there is no adequate legislation on cinema introduced in Kazakhstan’s law practice, which increasingly hinders the process and affects the filmmakers as well as potential investors.

The neutral observer may find that industry remains in the state of constant transformation for the last decade in terms of modernisation, adjustment to the world cinema standards and development of its own unique style of creation.
Such changes can be easily traced in “Kelin” (literal translation daughter-in-law) a challenging piece by Ermek Tursunov which was duly nominated for US Academy Award. It tells the story of a small family living in wilderness of snow covered Altai mountains in quiet isolation; speechless characters live their daily life embarking on a survival mode and it is presented in slow, sometimes motionless manoeuvring. Most crucial things are soaked in philosophical interpretation, allowing the viewer to identify the hidden rules and traditions. It is certainly worth watching for those convinced that Kazakhs dwelled in astonishingly barbaric setting comparable with those of Scandinavian Vikings once in the past.
The Nature interacts with people in different forms, which in turn helps to build up strong emotions by the end of the film where the snow avalanche is cutting the characters from their previous lives. The main message stands still unrevealed as an old lady turns away and leaves her Kelin with a new-born baby behind.

Mentioning the Scandinavians, one cannot help noticing that there is another “silent” film of that sort, full of deep wilderness and the Dialogue with the Nature. Kazakh “Kelin” and Danish “Valhalla Rising” are pretty much similar in their concept to show the idea of wilderness and the beginning of creation. Nature plays here the major role of the Universe where the Person is left to face himself/herself among the most natural and challenging conditions where one cannot rely on anyone and is forced to struggle alone in the darkness. It carries philosophical meaning by challenging the utmost primitive laws of nature and accepting it.

The main character in “Kelin” is a young girl who being taken away from her family to her lifetime journey faces the same old “challenges” as every other girl in her situation – unknown future with the husband. Only in her case the husband is forced upon her, she didn’t choose him. She is being sold by her family to a man who offered better price and who rushes to “try” his newly acquired trophy. She might be seen as a victim from certain perspective and yet the further story goes the less impression she gives of being the one.
One of the difficulties the viewer may encounter in both Valhalla and Kelin stems from the fact that what they suggest appear to be unreal, sometimes too cruel and brutal and yet absolutely natural and truthful almost close to the feeling of homecoming at some parts.

Another unique piece to consider watching is a historical drama “Mustafa Shokay”. Shokay is perceived to be Pan-Turkic leader attempting to set up the independent Kokand Autonomy, the idea which put him in the centre of Bolsheviks’ close “attention” and entailed his eventual escape to the West after Kazakh revolutionaries he headed were annihilated.
True, the Western audience may argue that the message of the film remains unclear and concealed due to the ambiguity of the main character himself. However, this film is believed to be one of the first serious historical incentives of Kazakh film industry. There are clearly some positive ideas to consider about Shokay as well as criticism. The love story sometimes interferes with the main storyline about Shokay's interaction with the Soviet power both during his stay inside the country and abroad.
The director did not fail to show however the passion and love of Shokay towards his home land, the way how strongly he felt about helping his own nation to face the Soviets and to expose the truth about the real history in the making. Shokay's passionate dedication to serve his people and to tell them the truth about the country they were living in brought him at some point to work with Nazis - the fact that shadows his historical role up to the present day.     Though the fact frequently overlooked is that in the result of his alleged collaboration with Nazis Shokay managed to save the lives of around 100 000 Soviet POWs.
The idea of working with Nazis is found difficult to embrace and might have composed fairly challenging task for Satybaldy Narymbetov. The film took five years of careful planning, researching and consideration to complete.

Мысли о переписке Пастернак-Цветаева-Рильке

Поэт - сосуд
вечности, высоты и стремления

На самом деле переписка Пастернака с Мариной (прочитала часть его первого письма) это - бутафория, сказка, мечта, иллюзия. Он не видит в ней человека-женщину, он видит в ней поэта, но опять таки ЖЕНЩИНУ-Поэта. Он преклоняется, называя ее большим артистом и талантом, и по всей видимости, тот факт, что она женщина случаен, однако ЕГО преклонение - мужское, в нем все мужественное. Нет, это не флирт и не соблазн, это настоящее преклонение, но разговор ведется не между поэтом и поэтом, а между Поэтом-мужчиной и Поэтом-женщиной. И вот поэтому, очень важно - имеется ли такая тенденция между Мариной и Рильке?
 Почему? Потому, что когда они спустя много лет наконец-то встретились, то не узнали, не поняли друг друга, они встретились и разошлись будучи чужими людьми, каждый со своей ношей и личной трагедией. Когда я читаю его восторги по поводу ЕЕ, мне немного смешно и грустно, больше грустно, потому что я как "поколение икс, вооруженное небом" ЗНАЮ, что судьба Пастернак-Цветаева не состоялась! И не могла состояться. И поэтому их титаническая переписка - призрачна. Она есть, и она огромна и совершенна, каждый поэт должен прочесть ЭТО. И я безумна благодарна им. И только знание того, что НЕ СОСТОЯЛОСЬ разъедает великолепие строк и образов, потому что читается как чистейшая поэзия без вымыслов и размытостей

Creeks where the trouts splash by Konstantin Paustovsky

Creeks where the trouts splash

The fate of one of Napoleon’s Marshals, we will not give his name so as not to irritate historians and pedants, deserves to be told to you, who often complain about the deficiency of human feelings.
The Marshal was still young. Slight grey hair and the scar on his cheek added a special appeal to his face. His face grew dark from constant deprivation and campaigns.
The soldiers loved the Marshal; he shared with them the burdens of the war. He often slept in a field near the fire, wrapped in his cloak awakening from the raucous voice of the trumpet. He drank from the same flask as the soldiers and wore the shabby uniform coat covered with dust.
He did not see or know anything other than exhaustive crossings and battles. It had never occurred to him to stoop in the saddle and simply ask the peasant about the name of the field his horse treaded upon or to discover what was so famous about those cities taken by his soldiers for the glory of France. Continuous war taught him taciturnity and negligence for his own life.
One winter the Cavalry Corps of the Marshal located in Lombardy had been ordered to shift to Germany immediately and join the “big army.”
On the twelfth day the corps found itself in a small German town. The mountains covered with snow gently gleamed in the night. Beech forests stretched around and only the stars twinkled in the sky among the universal stillness.
The Marshal was staying at the inn. After a plain dinner, he sat by the fireplace in a small hall and sent away the subordinates. He was tired and desired solitude. The silence of the town deeply buried in snow, reminded him somewhat of childhood or rather of the latest dream he saw which may never have happened. The Marshal was aware that soon the Emperor will launch a decisive battle. Perhaps he was annoyed by his unusual longing for the silence and calmed himself thinking that silence is something that is much needed ahead of the sweeping rumble of the forthcoming attack.
People get entranced by fire. The Marshal looking unblinkingly at the burning logs in the fireplace failed to notice the entrance of the elderly man with a thin bird-like face. He wore an old patched blue tail-coat. The stranger neared towards the fireplace to warm his chilled hands. The Marshal raised his head and asked discontentedly:
-       Who are you, sir? How come you appeared here so imperceptibly?
-       I am a musician, my name is Baumweis, replied the stranger.
-       I entered quietly because in this winter night one would unwittingly wish to move without any noise.
The musician’s face and voice seemed agreeable and after a brief thought the Marshal said:
- Come and sit by the fire, sir. Frankly, my life rarely affords me such quiet evenings and I will be happy to talk to you.
- Thank you, said the musician, but if you allow me, I’d rather sit at the piano and play. It’s been two hours now that I am haunted by one musical theme. I desperately need to play it, and my room upstairs has no piano.
- Very well... – said the Marshal, although the silence of this night is a lot more enjoyable than the most divine sounds.
Baumweis approached the piano and started playing very softly. The Marshal at this moment imagined that he heard the voices of the deep and light snow around the town, it was as if the winter itself sang; together with all branches of the beech trees heavy from snow, even the fire it seemed jingled in the fireplace.
The Marshal frowned and glanced at the logs, noticing that it’s not the fire jingling but the heel of his jackboot.
- I already started imagining some devilry, said the Marshal. - You must be a hell of a great musician?
- No, replied Baumweis and stopped playing. - I usually play for an amusement during weddings and other festivities at the houses of our young princes and famous nobles.  
The creaking sound of runners emerged at the porch. The horses neighed.
- Oh well, Baumweis got up, - those are after me. Allow me to say goodbye.
- Where are you going? - asked the Marshal.
- A forester lives in the mountains, two leagues from here, answered Baumweis. He is currently hosting our lovely national singer Maria Cherny. She is hiding here from the vicissitudes of the war. Today Maria turned twenty-three years old and is having a small dinner party. And what party can do without an old ballroom pianist?
 The Marshal arose from his chair.
- Sir, he said, my corps leaves tomorrow morning. Would it be discourteous of me to join you and spend the night at the house of the forester?
- As you wish, replied Baumweis and cautiously bowed, however failing to hide his distinctive astonishment at the words of the Marshal.
- However, not a word to anyone about it, - warned the Marshal. I come out through the back door and join you in the sled next to the well.
- As you wish, - repeated Baumweis, and he bowed again and left.
The Marshal chuckled. He didn’t drink any wine that evening, but somewhat carefree drunkenness overwhelmed him with extraordinary force.
- To the winter! –he exclaimed to himself.
- To hell with it! To the forest, to the night mountains! Perfect!
He put on his cloak and quietly left the inn through the garden. He found the sled next to the well with Baumweis already waiting for him. The horses snorting swept past the guard at the outskirts of the village. The guard habitually, albeit with delay raised his rifle to the shoulder and saluted the Marshal. For a long time he kept listening to the chit-chat of the bells as they went further away and at last shook his head: - What a night! Ah, if only I could have one sip of mulled wine!
Horses raced across the ground forged with silver. The snow melted on their hot muzzles. The forests lay enchanted by the frost. Black ivy strongly enfolded the trunks of the beech trees, as if trying to warm and keep running the life-giving juices inside.
Suddenly the horses halted near the creek. The creek did not freeze. It foamed and roared along the rocks, flowing down from the mountain caves, the forest full of the windfall and frozen leaves.
Horses drank from the creek. Something flashed in the water beneath their hooves as a brilliant stream. They jumped and stampeded at a gallop along the narrow road.
-      the trout, said the charioteer. – Jolly fish!
The Marshal smiled. The state of drunkenness continued. It still lasted even when the horses brought the sled to a clearing in the mountains, to the old house with the high roof.
The windows were widely lit. The charioteer jumped down and opened the cloth of the sled.
The door opened wide and the Marshal together with Baumweis entered, dropped the cloak in the low room lit by the candles and stopped at the doorstep. There were a few well-dressed women and men in the room.
One of the women stood up. The Marshal looked at her and realized that it was Maria Cherny.
- Excuse me, said the Marshal and slightly blushed. – I am sorry for the unwelcome intrusion. But we soldiers have neither family nor holidays, nor peaceful joy. Allow me to have a little warmth next to your fire.
Old forester bowed to the Marshal, and Maria Cherny instantly approached, glanced into the Marshal’s eyes and held out her hand. The Marshal kissed her hand, which seemed to him as cold as an icicle. Everyone was silent.
Maria gently touched one cheek of the Marshal, drew her finger along the deep scar and asked:
- Was it very painful?
- Yes, the Marshal replied confusingly, - it was a powerful saber strike.
Then she took his hand and led him to the guests. She introduced him to them, being all shy and radiant, as if she was presenting her fiancé. Whispers of perplexity ran among the guests.
I don’t know, dear reader, if I need to describe to you the appearance of Maria Cherny? If you, just like me, were her contemporary you should have probably heard about the fair beauty of that woman, her light gait, capricious but captivating disposition. There was no man who dared to hope to be loved by Maria Cherny. Perhaps only people like Schiller, could have been worthy of her love.
What happened next? The Marshal stayed at the house of the forester for two days. Let’s not talk about love, because we still do not know what it is. Maybe it is the deep thick snow falling all night long, or winter creeks where the trouts splash? Or is it laughter and singing and the smell of the old resin before the dawn, when the candles are almost burnt down and the stars are pressing through the window glasses to shine in the eyes of Maria Cherny? Who knows? Maybe it is touch of a bare arm upon the rough epaulet and the fingers stroking the cold hair and the old patched tail-coat of Baumweis? It can be masculine tears about what heart had never expected: the tenderness and care, incoherent whisper among the forest nights? Maybe it is the return of childhood? Who knows? And maybe it is the despair before parting when the heart falls apart and Maria Cherny frantically strokes the wallpapers, the tables and the door leaves of the room that had witnessed her love? And maybe, finally, it is the cry and unconsciousness of a woman when behind the windows in the smoke of the torches and sharp cries of the command Napoleonic gendarmes get off their saddles and burst in the house to arrest the Marshal on the personal order of the Emperor?
There are stories that flash out and vanish like the birds, but remain forever in the memory of people who became their unwilled witnesses.
Everything remained the same. The forests still rustled during the wind and the creek circled in small maelstroms the dark foliage. The axe’s sound still echoed the same in the mountains and the town ladies chattered gathering around the well.
However, it was the same forests and slowly falling snow and the glitter of the trouts in the creek that forced Baumweis to take out of the back pocket his old, though lily-white handkerchief and press it to his eyes and whisper an incoherent sad words about the short love of Maria Cherny and about how sometimes life itself turns into music. Though Baumweis whispered despite the heartache, he was glad of being a participant in this story and that he experienced the emotions rarely affordable to the poor old pianist.

1939

Evaluate the capacity of any Central Asian state to respond to national security crisis?

Central Asia is a geopolitically and strategically important region for its vast energy resources, transportation routes and most of all location. The permanent struggle for domination between Russia and China, and the recent involvement of the region into the logistical activities of coalition forces in Afghanistan, present a unique opportunity for the region to develop its own security approach, model and structures.
However there always exist the internal threats as well as international. As in the case of Uzbekistan, the country now faces a possible change of leadership after President Karimov retires, then there are radical religious groups inside the country, such as Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IDU), there is constant illicit drug trafficking pouring from neighbouring Afghanistan and illicit migration, unrest in Ferghana valley, as well as certain instabilities on the borders. The country itself is considered to be as pariah by international community, has long history of abuse of the  human rights, and very unstable foreign policy.
What kind of national security crisis might happen in Uzbekistan? The question has to be considered taking into account the context of its current development and many other socio-economic and political aspects. The utmost domestic challenge Uzbekistan faces in the near future, as many analysts predict, is a change of power structure and its leadership. Karimov has yet to appoint his own successor and few know when and how it will take place. Uzbek analysts themselves can hardly answer the question. However few facts are known, such as measures taken by Karimov to prevent the young people from other places to come to study to Tashkent universities. Some defence analysts note that Uzbekistan started to actively  purchase new military equipment and hardware both from Near and Far abroad. Others remind that Uzbek border forces has become active and increased in numbers.
One should keep in mind that Uzbekistan is the most populated country in Central Asia (25 million) and thus has biggest arm, its defence budget exceeds 3% of GDP, the biggest contribution in CA. On top of it Uzbekistan is known as having border troubles with its neighbour Kazakhstan where few incidents were reported throughout the years. Uzbeks have major ethnic diasporas in Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan where it already led to some disorders, as in June 2010 during Kyrgyz revolution. In Afghanistan, ISAF is in the process of creating national police and army involving large numbers of Uzbeks. And one the last but not least factors to be considered is that country had already been attacked by Islamic terrorist groups few times in the past. However, today, Uzbekistan serves as one of the biggest allies for coalition forces due to the upcoming drawdown in Afghanistan and allowed its territory to be used for logistical purposes. According to the high military command of the US, they place Uzbekistan as high priority country to cooperate with in the near future, that is while drawdown would not be completed.
All these factors present certain difficulties for leadership to cope with, and there can be ambiguous reactions.
Uzbekistan's foreign policy is twisted, by trying to manoeuvre between Russia and the West. Today, Uzbekistan is member of both SCO and CSTO, both of which include Russia, Kazakhstan. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Uzbeks have been in and out of CSTO since its creation, which was also reflected in what direction they put their priorities. Sufficient to say that Uzbekistan has never taken part in any exercises of both SCO and CSTO, which extremely puzzles other members. The country has been receiving Western defence assistance both bilaterally (US, UK) and through NATO, but it stopped after Andijan events in 2005 and now the country cannot receive direct military assistance from the West, there are also sanctions on buying lethal equipment. In other words, the West isolated Uzbekistan severely and now due to Afghanistan withdrawal it is back on stage.
Coming back to the change of leadership, the question stands as to how Uzbekistan will respond if something similar to Arab spring events would take place there? As was clearly demonstrated by Andijan, Uzbek domestic forces have enough capacity to suppress any sort of mass protests and riots. But what if the revolution would spread to the rest of the country? It is still possible that by acting rapidly and smartly, Uzbek interior and special forces might intervene, bearing in mind strong dictatorship policy and wide network of domestic intelligence. But, this rapid reaction will activate only and if President Karimov will still remain in power. If not, the whole force structure might collapse as it is centred around him. Uzbeks do still have Soviet mentality and once Karimov will be gone forcefully, no one can predict how military would work afterwards.
If revolution takes place throughout the entire country, there are mechanisms to address either CSTO and SCO, as well as Western allies. But who would come to help? From the experience Uzbeks know that neither SCO and CSTO cannot act in the cases of national security crises as was shown in June 2010 in Kyrgyzstan. The West will prefer to wait and see how events unfold: there is always opportunity to struck a new deal with a new leader once he is there and it maybe even be more preferred option. The West cannot cope with any Central Asian revolution as they are simply not interested and they have no capacity whatsoever to overthrow “CA Kaddafi”.
Another option to consider is bilateral assistance either or both from Russia and Kazakhstan, but again there are plenty of “ifs” involved. It will depend on what kind of state the current Russo-Uzbek, Kazakh-Uzbek relations are and certain other factors. It will depend whether Russia and Kazakhstan will be interested to help at all, bearing in mind constant swinging policy of Karimov. It will depend whether both countries will have enough capacity and willpower to do anything for Uzbekistan.
There is always China as powerful neighbour to take into account, however analysts insist that China is not interested in petty affairs of it small neighbours and will not lift a finger to change anything. Chinese diplomacy as its military power is tranquil and slow and Uzbekistan does not present enough interest for China to publicly announce its priorities. There are other f actors to consider.
In conclusion, Uzbekistan does have a certain capacities to cope with national security crisis but up to a point. If the situation with the change of power evolves and escalates, the external assistance/intervention might be needed. However, it is yet unclear as to whom Uzbeks would address, considering their unstable foreign policy and priorities and constant change of allegiance. Perhaps, after all, all interested parties will welcome a new leadership with whom they can make new arrangements and deals. But one should never forget about Uzbek mentality and Soviet legacy merged together.

(Written as sample essay, May 2012, Almaty, KazNU)


 

Stepmom 1998

Watched Stepmom last night with Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts about dying mom passing her children over to the new woman of her ex-husband. Ed Harris plays the dad. Quite sentimental and maybe slightly dull in places, the movie drives one or two tears. All three actors are perfect, almost immaculate, each plays its character to the depth - Sarandon is very convincing showing the imbalance and depression of a woman who received a death sentence. She is imbalanced while overprotecting her children from Isabel (Roberts) and being jealous of her at the time. Isabel presents the most ideal figure to replace Sarandon both as wife and mom. But what I really enjoyed is the skill of Ed Harris, he barely appears though, but all his lines and moves are deeply pre-thought and natural. His character shows no sign of guilt about what is unfolding, he seems content and happy, but who knows what feeling are brewing there under the neutral mask. There is particularly strong scene when he arrives to Sarandon with Christmas tree and struggles for words to express himself. I loved it. Quite intricate and deep movie.

Thoughts about the ART

To study and learn the Poetry one needs to study and learn the art, the history, the religion, the sculpture and the architecture. It is constant work full of challenges and questions. Constant flow of the perpetual knowledge.
I  strongly believe that all great poets learned from the great art and artists. It is inevitable.

After the Apocalypse

Somewhere 60 years ago, Kazakh steppes witnessed the phenomenon it never encountered before. The tests of nuclear weapon which took place in the wide and open steppes of Saryarka will reverberate throughout the generations for many years to come. The sacred land where Abay and Shakarim, two brightest geniuses of Kazakh poetry were born and lived has become a polygon for ambitious Soviet Union to test its potential to wage the war. The war, which never happened and yet huge layers of Kazakh population were sacrificed. Though too few could predict at that time what tragedy it would bring upon people in the future. Somewhere 60 years and over 460 explosions after, a historic decision has been taken by the President of independent Kazakhstan to close the polygon.
 Then, some ordinary day a British guy came to one of the remote villages located around the polygon to explore the lives of its inhabitants. That’s where the real story begins.Sarzhal is fairly unknown for wider public both within and outside of Kazakhstan. It is pretty small village located 300 km away from Semipalatinsk. Once it was famous for its production of kumis (mare’s milk), it is no longer. It has now other things to be famous for. The village is well known for being the closest to the actual polygon site. There are more than enough evidences to that, some inhabitants of the village still bear the physical proof of the radiation on their bodies. It can be no more explicit than that. The British guy hit the jackpot, when he discovered an extraordinary family as such, who could tell him more about the decease that hit them and still continues doing so. He stayed with them, lived with them, befriended the local farmers and shepherds, shared food with them, took their pictures...and filmed. That’s how After the Apocalypse was born. The film turned out to be complicated and challenging. Before leaving he made a promise to those people in Sarzhal that film will never be broadcasted in Kazakhstan, the very land the entire tragedy took place. The story is pretty simple and short.
A woman wants to give birth to a child who is suspected to be born with Down’s syndrome and genetically deceased. The entire documentary revolves around the debate about whether Bibigul should have her second child or not. But this simple argument between the nature’s power and grim medical diagnosis turns into something indeed apocalyptical. It is not only the question about life and death, but carries much more sinister message for the future generations to be born in those contaminated steppes.
 What man can deny life? If the baby could have its say would he or she choose the normal life or that of disabled? What mother can deny life? So many questions to which humankind is yet to find the answers. Bibigul has not much of a life except the wilderness of the steppes, small household and few horses. She and her husband work for village officials in kystak (a temporary place to spend the winter) which does not even belong to them, about 6 km away from Sarzhal. The road is bad and muddy, not every car can pass through. Ancient nomadic way of life rules here. They are being paid, of course, but only to sustain their current way of life. They are afraid of every coming visitor, believing it might be someone of a higher hierarchy who came to check up on them. They do not go frequently neither to Sarzhal, nor to Semipalatinsk. Basically they are isolated from the rest of the world.
 However Bibigul’s world is not too small to accommodate and welcome another future member of the family. Her heart is open so far. She and her mother have been haunted by the ghosts of the nuclear deformation since they can remember themselves. Those courageous women have their own dignity and are fully capable of protecting their privacy. The family cannot afford the most basic things, such as medicine for Bibigul and the newborn baby, clothes, proper food and vitamins, medical care, let alone anything else. That is the reason why she could have never made it to Almaty to do the prenatal check up to figure out whether it is worth giving birth to... That is the reason, she speaks so harshly and bitterly about her own and baby’s health. That is the reason, why she would never go out of her kystak and find out that there is so much fuss going on about her and her baby. She barely knows what an internet is. She probably does not know where the United Kingdom is located. She has her own kingdom of small simple things and tasks such as tending to horses, taking care after her family and all the rest of household chores. Ersayin is now one year and a half. He cannot walk, he cannot crawl, and yet he seems to be taller than normal child of his age. He has almost all of his teeth in place. He cannot speak too. In Kazakh, Ersayin means a strong warrior or brave hero. It is very beautiful and rare name.
 The film poses the question in the end: after 6 months Bibigul’s baby...is supposed to be normal as everyone who watched it hope. But what is normal? Is it normal at all to live in conditions described above? Is it normal to live in a constant fear of...indeed...what? Is it normal that state allows something like this to happen? The story of Bibigul transcends all possible boundaries of human misery and humiliation. She is there. Her Ersayin is there as well. They are both full-fledged members of Kazakh society and yet they are somehow out of it. The discussion may lead us further into the depths unknown. It is highly contested whether the documentary highlighted all the aspects of it.
 The most importantly after a year and a half nothing had ever changed for Bibigul and her little family. Should it have changed? Was it most importantly the purpose of the After the Apocalypse?
 British media got actively involved into the debate about what should we all do with letting unhealthy mothers to give birth to disabled children. Many talks focused upon an evil legacy left by Soviet Union and its nuclear tests. Was it the film’s purpose? Kazakhstan has learned its lesson, and declared itself to be the first ever nation, to renounce nuclear weapon. Was it enough? The film points out not only to the long vanished Soviet Union, it has its own message also to those nations who posess, retain and expand their nuclear storages. It contains the message to the entire free world to think twice before going there where Kazakhstan once found itself. Would you like to know what it might feel like to be Bibigul? 

LINKS

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/may/12/after-the-apocalypse-review 
 http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/News/2011/News/WTVM051193.htm