Bauryna Salu (Kazakhstan) w/ Q&A

Genre: Drama

Country: Kazakhstan

Year: 2023

Duration: 113 mins

Director: Askhat Kuchinchirekov

Language(s): Kazakh

Subtitles: English

Producer: Dias Feld, Askhat Kuchinchirekov

Principal Cast: Yersultan Yorman, Aidos Auesbay, Bigaysha Salkyn, Dinara Shymyrbay, Damir Daurenuly, Yerkin Berikuly

Q&A w/ Director & Producer

Synopsis

In a remote village in Kazakhstan, the ancient nomadic custom of "Bauryna Salu" dictates that a newborn boy, Yersultan, is entrusted to his grandmother to be raised apart from his biological parents. This tradition, meant to foster a unique bond between grandparent and grandchild, leaves Yersultan with a growing sense of abandonment and resentment towards his mother and father, whom he feels have forsaken him.

As Yersultan grows, his bond with his grandmother is strong, yet it leaves him disconnected from the family he longs to understand. But when Yersultan turns twelve, his life is shattered by the death of his grandmother. Forced to leave the only home he's ever known, he is sent back to live with his biological family—strangers in his eyes.

The film follows Yersultan’s tumultuous coming of age as he struggles with grief and isolation in a family he feels disconnected from. His resentment, particularly toward his father, simmers beneath the surface as they both attempt to bridge the emotional distance between them. As father and son navigate their fractured relationship, Yersultan embarks on a painful but necessary journey of self-discovery and reconciliation.