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KUDUK
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| The Well |
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Toraniyaz Kalimbetov
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| In the inhospitable Karakalpakistan, an autonomous
republic in Uzbekistan, life revolves around the scarce availability
of water. The inhabitants of this region are hampered on a daily
basis by the drastic, ecological consequences of the evaporation
of Lake Aral. The village men are regularly forced to take their
divining rod and look for a new underground water source. Until
a new well is dug, everyone is without drinking, cooking and
washing water. Director Kalimbetov unveils a world that is unknown
to Westerners and in which water cannot be taken for granted.
Style is simple, yet impressive. Scenes are wordless, they are
visually a cross between the work of Bert Haanstra and Mohsen
Makhmalbaf. The film follows an old man and his son searching
for water in desert, digging the well. It is an ancient trade,
which nowadays is dying. . |
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Screenplay Toraniyaz Kalimbetov
Photography (colour) Renat Galiev
Editing Toraniyaz Kalimbetov
Production Uzbekkino National Cinema Agency
Year of production 2004
Running time 24'
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Toraniyaz Kalimbetov
He was born in Nukus, Karakalpakistan in 1954. In 1976 he has graduated at the Tashkent theatrical-art institute, director's branch. He is a film director and script writer of more than 20 documentary and feature films. His works are: The Poetâs Monologue (1989),
Warm of Your Hands (1994), Mother (2000), The Horsesâ Healer (2001), The Well (2003),
Jurt (2003), Steppe Stradivary (2003), Sculptor (2004). He participated in several international film festivals. He was the winner of the second and third National Film Festivals in Bukhara 2000-2001. His film The Well has been awarded the Mikeldi de Plata Documental by the International Jury of the 46th edition of the Bilbao International Festival of Documentary and Short Films. He currently works as a director of the Agency "Karakalpakkini".
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