A scene showing the execution of writer Chingiz Aitmatov’s father during Stalin’s repressions has been cut from the version of the biographical film “Aitmatov” shown in Russia, Kazinform reported, putting the Kyrgyzstan-made film at the center of a censorship row.
The film premiered in Moscow on Nov. 4. In Kazakhstan, a premiere planned for Nov. 12 has been postponed to Dec. 3. The filmmakers cited reasons beyond their control, and director Kanybek Kalmatov did not explain the decision, saying only: “We will manage it.”
Film critic Dmitry Mostovoy suggested the delay may stem from Russian censorship. He said scenes linked to the Stalin-era repressions of the 1930s, including the shooting of Torekul Aitmatov, were cut in Russia. The scene remains in the trailer.
Mostovoy also named competition from other major releases in Kazakhstan as a possible reason, among them Kazakh director Akan Satayev’s “Kulpash” and the American film “Scrooge.”
“Aitmatov” opened in Kyrgyzstan on Oct. 15. The drama is set in 1979, as the writer was finishing his novel “The Day Lasts More Than a Hundred Years” and Soviet censorship put its publication at risk. The film also traces the fate of his father.
The cast includes Russian actors Sergei Bezrukov and Ravshana Kurkova, along with performers from Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. The project was made with the support of Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov.
