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Short Film

17' (Kyrgyzstan / Canada / China / USA) 2024

Official Selection - Asian Short Film Competition - Busan International Film Festival 2024

Synopsis

In the shadows of a fading oil empire, where the land groans under years of unchecked extraction, a veterinarian named Janyl begins to notice strange afflictions among the livestock. Her quiet investigation into the anomalies leads her closer to the gates of a state-run refinery—and into a web of silence, resistance, and unseen forces.

 

As the line between natural decay and something more otherworldly begins to blur, Janyl must navigate a haunting landscape of power, secrecy, and maternal instinct. With pressure mounting from all sides and a mysterious figure offering a perilous choice, the fate of more than just her town hangs in the balance.

Production Company

Ash Valley Co. / Bairek Productions

Supported by Canada Council for the Arts

Credit (+)

Starring Albina Imashova, Turganbubu Bookbekova, Raila Talaeva, Irina Surkova, Nikita Slimbaev, Ruslan Kurmanaliev

Directed by Shu Zhu

Written by G. Wilson, Shu Zhu

Produced by Sultan Pirzhan

Executive Produced by Anderson Le, Liyun Dong, Aries Qian, Brady Morell

Cinematography by Gemma Doll-Grossman

Production Design by Mboni Maumba, Bek Kubatbekov

Edited by Chynara Suymenalieva, Ulukmyrza Ravshanbekov, Shu Zhu

Music by Curtis Tamm

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