Kazakh film 'Mūğalım' selected for prestigious San Sebastián festival

Kazakh cinema is making its mark on the international festival circuit with the selection of Ayana Nurdinova's debut feature, “Mūğalım” (Teacher), for the New Directors competition at the 74th San Sebastián International Film Festival. This prestigious Spanish event is one of the world's oldest Class A film festivals.

“Mūğalım” achieves a significant milestone as the first Kazakh film directed by a woman to compete at San Sebastián. This achievement underscores the emergence of a new generation of Kazakh filmmakers gaining international visibility and signals growing confidence in the country's independent and auteur filmmaking.

The film, commissioned by the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Information and supported by the State Center for Support of National Cinema, tells the intimate story of a music teacher in Balkhash. He dreams of moving to a larger city but is confronted with a profound question about the importance of his art versus his place in the world.

San Sebastián's New Directors section is a respected platform for emerging talent, having previously introduced globally acclaimed directors like Bong Joon Ho. The festival's history includes premieres of influential films, solidifying its role in shaping world cinema and providing a vital launchpad for new cinematic voices from Kazakhstan.