Kazakhstani film 'Abel' invited to the 'Asian Oscar'
"Abel" to Screen at Los Angeles Festival
The film "Abel" has received an invitation to the 12th Asian World Film Festival (AWFF), which will take place in Culver City, Los Angeles, from November 12 to 19, 2026.
"As the Executive Director of the festival, it is with great pleasure that I invite your film to participate in our 12th anniversary program," stated the invitation from Georges N. Chamchoum, Executive and Program Director of the festival.
Furthermore, "Abel" has been selected to represent Kazakhstan in the Best International Feature Film category at the 2027 Academy Awards.
The final shortlist of nominees will be determined by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The nominees for the 99th Oscars will be announced on January 21, 2027, with the ceremony set to take place on March 14.
What is "Abel" about?
The film is set in 1993, during the period of large-scale privatization following Kazakhstan's independence. The protagonist is a shepherd named Abel (Әбіл) who works at the "Bayankazak" collective farm. During the distribution of state property, he receives his share, but things do not turn out at all as he had expected.
The film was directed and written by Yelzat Yeskendir. The production team includes Serik Abishev ("Vacation off-line," "A Dark, Dark Man," "Kazakh Scary Tales"), Sergey Azimov ("Late Love," "Baksy," "Shiza"), and Yerlan Bekkhozhin ("Truce," "Polygon," "Unknown History").
The leading roles are performed by Yerlan Toleutay, Nurzhan Beksultanova, Alikhan Lepesbaev, Ulan Nusipaly, Kaisar Nurlanuly, Inzhu Abdibek, Nurtas Bakyt, and Miras Burkitjan.
How personal memories became the film's foundation
According to Yelzat Yeskendir, while the characters are fictional, the events unfold against the backdrop of real historical processes. The concept was influenced by two factors: the fates of his classmates and his own childhood memories of rural privatization.
In the early 2010s, the director met with his former classmates. By that time, they were around 25–26 years old, and each had chosen their path. However, Yeskendir noticed that many were working in professions far removed from those they had dreamed of in school.
"I turned out to be the only one who fulfilled my dream and built the career I aspired to. After returning home, I reflected on this for a long time and realized: the reason they couldn't enter the fields they dreamed of lay in family circumstances and social conditions," the director explained.
He noted that many of his classmates' families lived modestly during the 1990s and early 2000s. Their parents did not have enough money to pay for their children's education in their chosen fields. Consequently, when choosing a career, these young people often prioritized financial stability above all else.
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Yeskendir recalls that his own family was in a more favorable position. This allowed him to read more, independently study topics of interest, and broaden his horizons while still in school. His classmates, meanwhile, were often preoccupied with the daily labor typical of rural life.
"I often ask myself: if circumstances had been different—if they had the chance to choose the profession they wanted and broad prospects for intellectual pursuit and personal growth—might some of them have become scientists in fields like physics, political science, philosophy, or sociology?" the director shared.
He believes that socio-economic conditions can shape the destinies of entire generations, not just individuals. This realization was one of the primary motivations for creating "Abel."
The second part of the concept stems from childhood memories. Yeskendir was six years old during the privatization era. He recalls seeing how, during the division of property, some villagers were left without their share while others profited.
"During privatization and the division of assets, many people were left with nothing and did not receive their rightful share. Only the collective farm heads and their close relatives benefited, while those who lost out included the parents of my classmates. What I saw then is still vivid in my memory," he noted.
At the same time, the director mentioned that his own grandparents worked as shepherds on the collective farm and held no leadership positions. Their ability to protect their interests was made possible by their solidarity and the support of their relatives.
Eskendir completed the script for "Abel" in 2015. He emphasizes that the film does not recount the story of specific individuals, but rather shows how privatization and its consequences impacted the lives of villagers.
"I witnessed some events personally, while I learned about others from fellow villagers and relatives. Even today, when I visit the village, I see how privatization continues to affect the life of the country," he said.
Photo courtesy of Erlan Bekkhozhin
Why the film took seven years to make
Financing became one of the main challenges. Although the script was ready back in 2015, the team only began production in 2022.
"Essentially, I spent seven years looking for funds. I applied to the State National Cinema Support Center three times — the entity that eventually provided the funding — but I only succeeded on the third attempt," Eskendir said.
Difficulties also arose when working with producers. According to the director, he found it hard to find common ground with some of them. The situation changed after producers Sergei Azimov and Erlan Bekkhozhin joined the project.
"One good film is not enough": Producer's insights
Erlan Bekkhozhin thanked the Oscar Committee of Kazakhstan for selecting the film and congratulated the director, actors, and crew. However, he believes that the nomination is not just a reason for celebration, but an opportunity to tell Kazakhstan's story to an international audience.
"'Abel' is a film about a man caught in the upheaval of the 1990s. The old rules had stopped working, and new ones did not yet exist. Everything was changing: attitudes toward property, power, and justice, as well as the very boundary between what was permitted and what was forbidden," the producer noted.
In his opinion, although the film's action is set in the past, many of the issues it raises remain relevant today.
Now the team faces the next stage — international promotion, finding distributors, and engaging with audiences, including members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and representatives of professional guilds.
Bekkhozhin emphasizes that participating in the Oscars requires not only a strong film but also a well-thought-out promotion strategy, networking, and significant financial resources.
"You can make an outstanding movie, but without a clever strategy and budget, it might simply go unseen. Therefore, state support in such matters is very important. Not as a guarantee of an award, but as an opportunity to give a Kazakhstani film a fair chance to be heard," the producer believes.
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At the same time, for him, the question of why Kazakhstani stories are often only valued after receiving recognition abroad is more important than the statuette itself.
"I think we need to look less for outside validation and believe more in our own stories. Not to try to please the whole world or conform to others' expectations, but to honestly tell stories about our people, our land, our contradictions, and our pain. Because behind a local story, there is often something familiar to a person in any country," Bekkhozhin noted.
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Post by Elzat ESKENDIR (@elzat_eskendir)
Director's thoughts on Oscar chances
Eskendir learned that "Abel" had been chosen to represent Kazakhstan at the awards through social media. According to him, he didn't feel particularly nervous; currently, it is more important to him that as many representatives of the film industry as possible see the picture.
"It all comes down to how many Academy professionals and guild representatives have actually seen our film, and how we can ensure that as many of them as possible watch it," the director said.