International Narrative Film Competition
France, Kazakhstan, Norway, 2024, 100 min
Director:
Assel Aushakimova
Language and Subtitles:
Russian, with English & Hebrew subtitles
Participants
Saltanat Nauruz, Assel Abdimavlenova, Shyngys Beibituly, Duisenbek Atantayuli
Bikechess
Festivals & Prizes:
2024 Best International Narrative Feature, Tribeca Film Festival
Bikechess
A satire on journalism-government relations in Kazakhstan. Dina is a journalist who struggles to fulfill her potential because she is forced to serve as a government propagandist. She covers absurd government projects such as combining bicycle riding with chess. At the same time, she copes with a complex personal life, including her relationships with a married photographer and with her sister, a lesbian anti-government activist. With a keen eye and dark humor, the film criticizes the pressures on the country’s journalists, and demonstrates how its authorities can deteriorate to extreme levels of ridicule in restricting the freedom of press.