Upcoming festival offers Kazakh viewers a cinematic treat

Kazakh singer Dimash Kudaibergen says on his Chinese micro blog that he fell in love with China because of Jackie Chan's action films. Now, his compatriots will get to see the legend again on the big screen.

From June 7 to 18, the 2017 Kazakhstan's Chinese Film Exhibition will be held in the country's capital, Astana. Six feature-length movies, including Chan's thriller Kung Fu Yoga, will be screened at the event, the first of its kind. Chan will also be there, according to the organizers.

In Kung Fu Yoga, a tale about locating a lost treasure, Chan displays his trademark blend of dazzling stunts and comedy.

The exhibition of Chinese cinema backed by the movie bureau of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, and sponsored by the China Film Group Corp, the Chinese FilmLiterature Association and the Beijing-based studio Great Heroes, is part of Kazakhstan's Expo 2017, which runs from June 10 to Sept 10.

Jiao Hongfen, president of the China Film Group Corp, says the exhibition is a window to show modern China and its diverse culture to Kazakhstan.

Meanwhile, Jean-Jacques Annaud's wildlife drama Wolf Totem, a Sino-French coproduction centering on the relationship between humans and animals in the vast Inner Mongolia autonomous region's prairie, is also being screened, as is Go Away Mr Tumor, which represented China at the Oscars in 2015.

Kung Fu Yoga took home 18 million yuan ($2.63 million), Wolf Totem earned 7 million yuan and Go Away Mr Tumor took 5.1 million yuan, making them all top-grossing hits in China.

The other three films are less known.

One of them, Genuine Love is based on the real-life tale of a Uygur mother who adopted 19 children from six ethnic groups.

The ILI River chronicles the changes in a family that raises bees. The 105-minute feature has won several awards at international film events, such as the San Diego International Kids Film Festival.

Meanwhile, Flower showcases the artistic pursuit of an ethnic Kazak in China, and its music scenes showcase local art forms on the silver screen.

Yan Jianguo, president of Great Heroes, says the movies are about heroes from different walks of life.

Aimakhanov Abu-Talip, counselor of Kazakhstan's embassy in Beijing, says only a few Chinese-language movies have been screened in his country so far. He adds that the exhibition is a good chance for his compatriots to know more about China.

Akbar Majit, executive vice-president of the China Film Literature Association, says China and Kazakhstan have seen more cinematic exchanges in recent years.

He says many Chinese viewers have watched quality Kazakh movies online, such as the war epic Warriors of The Steppe, and adds that the first coproduction feature by the two countries is set to begin filming soon.