The Land of Our Fathers is one of the outstanding Kazakh films of the Soviet epoch. Since it was shot during the Thaw, the director was able to portray truly national characters and their resistance to the Soviet ideology. This was indeed a bold decision on the part of the director, considering the possible repercussions. Alongside with the references to Muslim customs and the typical Kazakh landscape, the film encapsulates the ethical codes reaffirming the meaning of the Kazakh worldview and values.

An old man decides to find the body of his son, a Kazakh soldier who died fighting somewhere in Russia, to bury him in the land of his ancestors. Travelling across the land with his grandson, they discover the harsh reality of war. And when they finally find the coveted grave, they realise that many brothers-in-arms are buried with the soldier. Every inch of the great homeland becomes the land of our fathers, the land of the ancestors...

Oljas Suleimenov
Fotografia (b/n) / Photography (b/w) A. Aïmanov
/ Music E. Rakhmadiev
Sound U. Davletgaliev
Cast E. Umurzakov, M. Akhmadiev, V. Chevtsov, Lu. Pomerantsev
Production Kazakhfilm Studio
Year of production 1966
Running time 90’
Format 35mm
Copia / Print Cinémathèque Française, Paris

Chaken AÏmanov

Termed as one of the founding fathers of Kazakh cinema, he was born 1914 and debuted as stage actor and director. 1953 he made his directorial feature film debut with Le poème de l'amour, La fille des steppes (both co-directed with K. Gakkel), Nous habitons ici (co-directed with M. Volodarski, 1956). He made 12 film as director, including Notre cher docteur (1957), Dans un certain district; L'appel de la chanson (1961), Carrefour (1963), Le trompeur imberbe ou Aldar Kosse (1965), L'ange en calotte (1968), La Fin de l'Ataman (1970). He died in 1970.