Келін (Kelin)

It took me a while but finally I was able to watch the debut film by Ermek Tursunov who used to be a journalist-screenwriter but after watching this amazing film have to agree that is a master filmmaker in the making as this unique film not only has very innovative storytelling but also looks and feels like a very modern Greek tragedy set in the cold/white Kazakh steppe. What’s really innovative is that film has not even one word and honestly you don’t miss dialogue at all thanks to excellent performances by what I believe are non-actors. Exceptional.

I tend to like films with very little dialogue when images and visual storytelling are compelling; this is the most “almost-perfect” film where filmmakers can learn the amazing powerful value of images and how sometimes words are not only useless but also needless when actors can perform with body language and facial expressions absolutely everything. Please remember that the film is set in the steppes, so actors have clothes up to their noses and still, they had excellent body language communication with each other and with us viewers. Amazing.

Film tells about a woman, Kelin that is ‘sold’ by her father to the richest suitor, who happens not to be the man she’s in-love and loves her back. After a dramatic blood pact with the man she loves, Kelin leaves with her husband to her new home where a mother-in-law and a brother-in-law awaits for them. As she settles in her new home she discovers the pleasure and happiness of married life, but eventually the man she loves comes back and a drama like you have seen many times before with lots of words explodes, but here not even one word is said and you probably will feel everything more than ever before.

Extraordinary cinematography and truly magnificent takes of Gulsharat Zhubyeva who plays Kelin make this movie a visual delight, but is the strong silent drama what really makes this film absolutely out of the ordinary and must be seen for many that appreciate great cinema. It’s a beautiful and powerful movie with a ‘common’ story told silently without a single word.

I strongly suggest that if you haven’t watch it yet, don’t wait any longer and immerse yourself into this unbelievable good cinema wordless experience. The film was Kazakhstan submission to 2010 Oscar and film was one of the nine selected in the short list, which now I believe was an honor highly deserved.

Big Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC