You Won’t Believe the Historic First at Berlinale — A Kazakh Women’s Rights Film That Left Audiences in Tears!

The Berlinale Film Festival witnessed history this week as River Dreams, the first Kazakh documentary ever to screen at the prestigious event, premiered to a sold-out audience. Directed by Kristina Mikhailova, the film explores women’s rights in Kazakhstan through the metaphor of a river, blending poetic imagery with political urgency.

A Poetic Beginning

The documentary follows the Aksay River, which flows from the Zailiyskiy Alatau mountains near Almaty. Along its course, Mikhailova and her crew interviewed women from diverse backgrounds — students, activists, prisoners, and educators — asking them to imagine themselves as a river. What began as a lyrical exploration evolved into a powerful portrait of inequality and resilience.

Voices of Vulnerability

Fifteen women ultimately became the film’s protagonists, sharing deeply personal stories of fear, desire, and survival. Their testimonies were shaped by recent events in Kazakhstan, including the 2023 killing of Saltanat Nukenova by her husband, a former government minister. The tragedy sparked nationwide debate about domestic violence and underscored the urgency of the film’s themes.

Mikhailova herself appears in the documentary, explaining: “If I was asking them to share something deeply personal and trust me, I had to go through the same experience myself.”

Radical Tenderness

The director describes her approach as “radical tenderness,” inviting audiences into an emotional landscape where the flow of water mirrors the instability faced by women in Kazakhstan. The Berlinale’s Forum Special section, which selected the film, emphasized bold and politically engaged cinema under the motto “Be Human Only, Dish Out the Truth.”

Overcoming Challenges

The road to Berlin was not easy. With limited funding, the team submitted an unfinished cut to festival selectors, hoping the recognition would unlock resources. Their gamble paid off, securing last-minute investment to complete post-production. Even travel and promotional expenses required creative solutions, but the filmmakers persisted.

Producer Dana Sabitova noted the symbolic importance of the selection: “The fact that they chose a documentary from Kazakhstan means that our voices matter to them.”

Looking Ahead

Following its Berlinale debut, River Dreams is expected to screen at additional international festivals. Yet Mikhailova emphasizes that the most meaningful milestone would be a premiere in Kazakhstan, ideally at the Qyzqaras Festival, which celebrates films made by women. She hopes for a theatrical release at home, a rare achievement for documentaries in Kazakhstan. “This film is meant first and foremost to inspire Kazakh women, not only activists or people from the urban bubble, but every woman,” she said.