RESULTS OF THE CONTEST “TOGETHER THROUGH TIME AND DISTANCE!”

Astana Motors summed up the results of the Republican contest of short films “Together Through Time and Distance!” Ten production studios, which made films based on the stories of ordinary Kazakhstanis, became the candidates for the main prize of 1,500,000 tenge.

Let us remind you that a premiere screening of short films was held in early October.

The total coverage of the project during the six weeks of voting was about 3.5 million people. Kazakhstanis could watch short films on films.astana-motors.kz as well as on Astana and STV TV channels.

“These films are about us, about our life, and our country. These films are about our relatives and friends. In this way our families were created; in this way we love and got disappointed. These films are very close to me. We, being part of Astana Motors, were romantics, we remain romantics, and I think we will be romantics in the market for many more years. Profit has never been the most important goal for us; we create a high standard of living, and our mission is to make Kazakhstan a highly developed cultural country,” said President Nurlan Smagulov at the award ceremony.

A famous Director, Bakhyt Kilibayev, was a producer of the project. Akan Satayev, Aktan Suyunshalin, Ruben Kazaryan, Tolepbergen Baisakalov, and young authors took part in the creation of the films. Sanzhar Madiyev, Gaziza Tleubay, Dina Tasbulatova, Dinara Baktybayeva, Raikhan Aitkozhanova, and many others were acting in the films.

“These films are ten different universes; all of them are of different genres. There are sad and tragic stories. There are stories where heroes overcome circumstances. These are the films with human energy and idea. They are talented and diverse,” noted Bakhyt Kilibayev (Director and Project Manager).

Both Kazakhstanis and film critics evaluated each film. The opinions of the national and professional jury almost fully coincided.

According to the results of the people’s voting, the winners were:

• 1st place – “You Are Near” of the production studio “Cinemart Production”, Director Laura Buembayeva;
• 2nd place –  “In Pursuit of a Dream” of the production studio “Bairakimov & Kairzhanova presents”, Director Aldiyar Bayrakimov;
• 3rd place –  “Come on, my dear, give birth!” of the production studio “AURORA Film Production”, Director Ruben Kazaryan.

The winners received cash prizes from 1,500,000 tenge for the 1st place, 1,000,000 tenge for the 2nd place, and 700,000 tenge for the 3rd place. 

It turned out that the professional film critics were almost unanimous with Kazakhstanis and defined the same films for the second and third lines as in the people’s voting. In their opinion, the top three films were as follows:

• 1st place – “Unusual Acquaintance” of the production studio “IMedia Production”, Director Muslim Abdullayev;
• 2nd place – “In Pursuit of a Dream” of the production studio “Bairakimov & Kairzhanova presents”, Director Aldiyar Bayrakimov;
• 3rd place – “Come on, my dear, give birth!” of the production studio “AURORA Film Production”, Director Ruben Kazaryan. 

Top three movies from the film critics’ view received 1,000,000, 700,000 and 500,000 tenge accordingly.

“We are grateful to Astana Motors for the opportunity to participate in this project. It is just an excellent idea to announce a contest for the best stories and make films based on them. After all, viewers like to watch true-life stories of other people,” said Aldiyar Bayrakimov, Director of  “In Pursuit of a Dream”.

In 2017, Astana Motors celebrates its 25 anniversary. In honor of the 25th anniversary, the company holds a number of social and charitable events. Thus, in January, the company donated a new domestically assembled Hyundai H-1 minibus to the pupils of MSI “Children’s Home” of the Akimat of Astana. The children from “SOS Children’s Villages of Kazakhstan” received the keys of three minibuses. The company also supported the project “SOS-Saiga” aimed at protecting the population of this species. Social investments were aimed at promoting a number of sports projects, particularly the Republican judo tournament in Agadyr village and Astana Motors Duathlon (a competition in two sports: running and cycling). The company made the largest contribution at the amount of 9.5 million tenge for the construction of the ARTiSHOCK Theater. This amount covered all basic costs of repair and decoration. At the beginning of October, President of the company Nurlan Smagulov gifted the Abylkhan Kasteyev Art Museum a picture of Andy Warhol “Jackie Kennedy” and provided the residents of the city with a possibility to visit the museum free of charge during a month.