Damir Manabai

Damir Manabai (b. 1946) studied at technical college in Shymkent (1966) and subsequently graduated in film and television direction from Moscow's VGIK (1978). After returning to Kazakhstan he made the film Raushan (1978), the musical Native Steppes (Tugan dala, 1981) and the drama The Scream (Zhan aykai (1986). He enjoyed international acclaim for his film about the enforced collectivisation of Kazakhstan Surzhekei – the Death Angel (Surzhekei, 1991). This was followed by Kazakh Story (Kazaki okifa, 2001). The film Kek (Ballade of the Forgotten Years) is based on the novel by Abish Kekilbayev.

MFF Karlovy Vary