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    First-ever Khakas film premieres in Abakan Russia 2008

    By Kirill Galetski | December 9, 2008

    Ada Chiri (Land of Our Fathers) , the first-ever film from the Khakas ethnic group, premiered on December 1 in the city of Abakan (pop. 162,000) in the internal Russian republic of Khakasia, located in southern central Siberia. Ada Chiri is a production of the new production company Khakasfilm, with the support of the local government and ministry of the Republic of Khakasia. The film is the first full-length feature film shot entirely in Khakas, a Turkic language (international screenings of the film are in Khakas with English subtitles). The film is based on an eponymous play by Khakas playwright and actress Alisa Kyzlasova, laureate of the top prize at Khakasia’s second annual playwriting competition. The stage play premiered last year at the Topanov Khakas National Drama Theater in Abakan. Even though the story takes place in the 18th century in a remote corner of Siberia, the issues raised are universal.

    The screenwriter and director of Ada Chiri is Nonna Galetskaya, the cinematographer is Yuri Kurochka and the production manager is Leonid Gorbatov. The shoot took place in summer 2008 in the Askiz region of Khakasia. The interior scenes were filmed in the Khakas yurt at the open air Ankhakovsky Municipal Musuem (Ulug Khurtuyakh Tas). Ten actors from the Khakas National Drama Theater production and two non-professional actors played the main roles in the film. The film features original Khakas folk music by Tamara Davletova and Maxim Kobyakov.

    During the 80 minutes of the film, the audience was able to observe the trials and tribulations of Khan Bakchiy and his people – tragic episodes from the history of Khakasia. The filmmakers were able to relay the distinctive features of the cultural image of the Khakas people, show the flow of their way of life, their ethos and their shamanistic rituals. The cast and crew, sponsors, partners, local government and representatives of the local intelligentsia were invited to a pre-premiere screening of the film.

    Alexei Lebed, the governor of Khakasia, rated the Khakas filmmakers’ work very highly and issued letters of thanks to the crew of Ada Chiri. Alexander Golutva, Deputy Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, mentioned his film in his appearance at the recent celebration of the 100th anniversary of Russian cinema. Ada Chiri has been submitted for consideration to the Rotterdam Film Festival.

    Screening copies of the film with Russian or English subtitles are available from the director. Screenings for filmmakers and the media in Moscow and St. Petersburg are planned for the near future.

    Film contacts:

    Nonna Galetskaya, director (Russian only)
    Tel.: (495) 397-0657
    Mob.: 8-903-547-0406
    E-mail: chustei@mail.ru
    Skype: chustei

    Yuri Kurochka, cinematographer (Russian only)
    Tel.: 8(3902)241587
    Tel.: 8(3902)224455
    Mob.: 8-903-077-7811
    E-mail: kuru123@mail.ru

    Leonid Gorbatov, production manager (Russian only)
    Tel.: 8(39045)95108
    Mob.: 8-908-022-1291
    E-mail: gorbatovl@mail.ru

    Kirill Galetski, international agent (Russian, English, French, German)
    Tel..: +49 (0)30 28 87 58 72
    Mob.: +49 (0)157 76 50 86 29
    E-mail: kirill.galetski@inbox.ru
    Skype: kirill.galetski

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