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THIS IS WHAT I REMEMBER

Tokyo, 2022

Drama

105'

SYNOPSIS

The film “Esimde - This Is What I Remember” tells the tragic story of the old man Zarlyk, who returns to his hometown in Kyrgystan after spending twenty-three years of ordeal in a foreign land. He is brought back by his matured son Kubat. Much has changed during his absence: the morals of the villagers, mired in the realities of a changing world, radicalization of Islam, growing crime, and moral corrosive corruption began to
consume...

Zarlyk’s wife Umsunai, having lost hope of his return, became religious and married the local authority Jaichy. Zaryk’s return unsettles her, but Zatlyk seems to have lost all his memories of his time in the village. Will the memory return to him and will Umsunai gain her lost happiness back when they are pressed by tight attitudes and immorality of the clergy, when love has eclipsed recklessness?

PEOPLE

Director

Writer

Aktan Arym Kubat

Aktan Arym Kubat & Dalmira Tilepbergenova

(Co-) Producers

Financiers

Oy Art, Volya Films (NL), Mandra Films (FR), Kyrgyzfilm, Bitters End

Netherlands Film Fund, Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds (VAF), Eurimages, Bulgarian National Film Centre, Armenian National Film Centre, MIBACT, with the support of the Creative Europe Programme – MEDIA of the European Union

FESTIVALS

2022 Tokyo International Film Festival, Competition

2022 Asia Pacific Screen Awards, Jury Grand Prize

2022 Eurasia International Film Festival, Best Film Prize

GoEast Film Festival

Shanghai International Film Festival

Aube Film Festival

TRAILER

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2025 © Volya Films

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