About

Qas, the powerful feature debut of acclaimed music video director Aisultan Seitov, brings a haunting chapter of Kazakh history to the screen: the 1930s famine that claimed 1.5 million lives under Soviet rule.

The film follows Isatai, a grave digger (Erkebulan Dairov), tasked with retrieving provisions for his village. Bringing along his young brother, Alim (Sultan Nurmuha), they embark on a perilous journey, hoping to ensure the survival of their village.

Utilising conventions of the horror genre, Qas stylishly harnesses a muted colour palette and edge-of-your seat encounters to convey the precarious journey the two brothers are determined to complete. They cross unforgiving landscapes, facing starvation, harsh natural elements, and the oppressive shadow of Soviet control. This is not just a tale of survival, but an unflinching look at adversity under the weight of imperialism, offering a rare cinematic exploration of Kazakhstan’s past through the eyes of a new and compelling voice in film.

Ages 18+ | Adult and supernatural themes, moderate violence