Feature film
Killer
Darezhan Omirbaev · 1998
Synopsis
Marat, a driver in Almaty, damages someone else's car in a minor accident and finds himself owing a sum he does not have; he borrows to pay, then borrows again to repay, and loses his job. His wife has just given birth, and when the baby falls seriously ill, those he owes propose that he settle the debt another way: kill a journalist for money. Each step seems reasonable at the moment he takes it, and the guilt weighs on him afterwards.
Context
The screenplay is by the filmmaker and Limara Zheksembayeva, the cinematography by Boris Troshev, for a co-production between Kazakhfilm and French producers; the Cottbus festival sees in it a story inspired by Crime and Punishment. The chain of events is shown without commentary, through a series of ordinary gestures each of which narrows the field of possibilities, almost without music or words. Awarded at Cannes, the film then went on to Toronto and received a mention at Karlovy Vary; the running times given range from 75 to 80 minutes.
Who it is for
A subtitled Russian-language film, slow-paced, with little dialogue. The spare style recalls Bresson, and the plot can be followed without knowing anything about the country.
Prizes and reception
Un Certain Regard Prize at Cannes in 1998, awarded by the Groupama Gan Foundation for Cinema; Don Quixote Award at Karlovy Vary.
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