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Alternative TIFF 2010 Picks: #18. Aktan Abdykalykov’s The Light Thief
It played at Cannes this year and was probably sprinkled at several other fests such as Locarno, I’m looking at Abdykalykov’s film much in the same way I think about films like Tulpin and Turtles Can Fly — films that transport Western audiences into foreign lands, unknown scapes and uncommon human interactions.
#18. The Light Thief
Director: Aktan Abdykalykov
Cast: Aktan Arym Kubat, Taalaikan Abazova, Askat Sulaimanov, Asan Amanov, Stanbek Toichubaev
Distributor: Rights Available.
Buzz:It played at Cannes this year and was probably sprinkled at several other fests such as Locarno, I’m looking at Abdykalykov’s film much in the same way I think about films like Tulpin and Turtles Can Fly — films that transport Western audiences into foreign lands, unknown scapes and uncommon human interactions.
The Gist: A funny and touching portrait of small-town politics in a rapidly globalizing world that follows Svet-ake, an electrician in a small Kyrgyz village who has been stealing electricity to help the impoverished local residents. When Bekzat, a wealthy land developer and former villager arrives to buy up the land for a group of Chinese investors, Svet-ake shares with him his dream to populate the valley with modern windmills—but soon Svet-ake realizes that not everyone has the best interests of the village community at heart.
TIFF Schedule: Friday September 10 6:00:00 PM AMC 4
Saturday September 11 9:30:00 AM AMC 3
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