The Light Thief

  • a film by Aktan Arym Kubat (aka Abdykalykov)
  • feature film
  • 80 min
  • 2010

A village electrician in rural Kyrgyzstan risks everything as he brings stolen electricity and a spark of hope to his impoverished neighbors while powerful new interests threaten the community.

TrailerOnline stream
Info

  • Genre

    • Drama

  • Countries of Production

    • Kyrgyzstan / Germany / France / Netherlands

  • Language

    • Kyrgyz

  • World premiere

    • 3rd September 2010 – 69. Venice FF

  • German cinema release

    • 14th April 2011

  • a production by

    • A.S.A.P. Films, Pallas Film, Volya Films, Viss, Oy Art

  • in co-production with

    • ZDF, Arte

  • with the support of

    • MDM – Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, MBB – Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Fonds Sud Cinéma, World Cinema Fund, Hubert Bals Fund, The Netherlands Film Fund

  • World Sales

    • The Match Factory

  • Distribution

    • Neue Visionen
Synopsis

The main hero of the film is an resilient electrician, who possesses a wonderful and open heart and who brings to lives of the inhabitants of his small city not only an electric light (which often switches off), but also the light of love, loyalty, life and mainly laughter. Everybody needs him: those who have problems with the electric wiring, and those who have problems of marital interrelations, and those who have the power in that city, and those who are just bored to live. He’ll manage to help everyone. He can even outrage and rewind the counter of an old and lonely pensioner so as she didn’t owe to the State, on the contrary the State owes her for her electric energy consumption.

Cast

  • Svet-Ake

    • Aktan Arym Kubat

  • Bermet

    • Taalaikan Abazova

  • Bekzat

    • Askat Sulaimanov

  • Esen

    • Asan Amanov

  • Mansur

    • Stanbek Toichubaev
Crew

  • Written by

    • Aktan Arym Kubat (aka Abdykalykov), Talip Ibraimov

  • Directed by

    • Aktan Arym Kubat (aka Abdykalykov)

  • Producers

    • Karl Baumgartner, Thanassis Karathanos, Cedomir Kolar, Altynai Koichumanova

  • Director of photography

    • Khassan Kydyraliev

  • Editor

    • Petar Markovic

  • Set design

    • Talgat Asyrankulov

  • Music

    • Andre Matthias

  • Sound

    • Bakyt Niyazaliev

  • costume design

    • Inara Abdieva

  • Make-Up

    • Tolkyn Asylbekova
Festivals
  • Cannes / Directors Fortnight
  • Locarno IFF / Piazza Grande
  • Toronto IFF
  • Haifa IFF
  • Pusan IFF
  • Doha Tribeca FF
  • FF Cottbus
Awards
  • Special Jury Award / Amiens IFF
  • NETPAC Jury Award / Tallinn Black Nights FF
  • Audience Award / FF Cottbus
  • Critic's & Best Actor Award / Kinoshock FF Anapa
  • Grand Prix & FIPRESCI Award / Eurasia FF Almaty

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