Goliath (Adilkhan Yerzhanov) Kazakhstan |

Goliath
Adilkhan Yerzhanov
Kazakhstan. 2022. 92 min

The Kazakh village Karatas has long been subjugated by a criminal boss called Poshaev. He provides housing and jobs for the locals but will ruthlessly execute anyone who dares to oppose him. This is the lesson the pauper Arzu is about to learn first-hand – his wife Karina has informed the police about the crimes that are taking place there. Arzu is a cripple; now he has to raise his little daughter alone. He is so helpless and grief-stricken that he doesn’t even seem to be contemplating revenge. Poshaev takes him under his wing and offers him the position of a guard at a building site. Soon Arzu has a chance to prove his loyalty, and he becomes Poshaev’s right hand. But where do Arzu’s real loyalties lie – with his boss or with the idea of justice?

ADILKHAN YERZHANOV

AdilkhanYerzhanov, a film director and scriptwriter, was born in Djezkazgan city, Kazakhstan, on the 7 August 1982.
In 2009 he graduated from the Kazakh National Academy of Arts, as a film director.

AdilkhanYerzhanov is a two-time participant of the Cannes Film Festival’s Official Program (“The Owners”, 2014, and “The Gentle Indifference of the World”, 2018, Un Certain Regard Section) and a two-time participant of Venice International Film festival (“Orizzonti” / “Yellow Cat”/2020 & “Orizzonti Extra”/ “Goliath / 2022 / Premio “Bisato d’oro” to BerikAitzhanov&DaniyarAlshinov / “Best actors””).

Filmography

“FROZEN”, TV series, 2022
“Ademoka’s education”, 2022 – world premiered at the 38th Warsaw International Film Festival.NETPAC award.
“Goliath”, 2022 – world-premieredat the 79th Venice IFF / Orizzonti Extra Competition / / Premio “Bisato d’oro” to BerikAitzhanov&DaniyarAlshinov / “Best actors”
“Assault”, 2022, world premiered at the Rotterdam IFF, 2022
“Zoe’s return”, a short film, 2021
“Herd Immunity”, 2021, world-premieredin the Main Competition of the Black Nights IFF (Tallinn)
“Yellow Cat” / Zheltayakoshka(Kazakhstan-France), 2020. World-premiered at the 77th Venice IFF / Orizzonti Competition
“Ulbolsyn”(Kazakhstan-France), 2020, TRT-Award winner of the Sarajevo CineLink Works in Progress. World premiered in the Main Competition of the Black Nights IFF (Tallinn) / Best Asian NETPAC Award.
“Atbai’s fight”, 2019, world-premiered at the Warsaw International Film Festival, Grand-Prix of the Yakutsk International Film Festival; “In competition” status of the APSA-2020 (Cancelled due to the anti-covid measures)
“A dark, dark man”(Kazakhstan-France), 2019, world-premiered at San-Sebastian International Film Festival, “Best director” at APSA
“The gentle indifference of the world” (Kazakhstan-France), 2018, Un Certain Regard @ 71st Cannes IFF
“The Owners”, 2014, Cannes IFF-2014 Official Selection
“Night God / Nochnoi bog”, 2018, Moscow International Film Festival-2018, Main competition
“The plague at the Karatas village”, 2016 (NETPAC award at the Rotterdam IFF, 2016, Best Producers Award at the 5th New York Eurasian International Film Festival)
“Constructors”, 2013
“Realtors”, 2011