Kazakhstan Life & Culture - The Times Of Central Asia

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Cinema

Kazakhstani Director Darkhan Tulegenov: “We Have Long Been Part of the Global Film Industry”

The Cord, the latest feature by Kazakhstani director Darkhan Tulegenov, will have its world premiere in the Vision section of the 31st Busan International Film Festival, held in South Korea from October 6 to 15. Developed from his series Kindik, the film has been described by its creators as a drama about blind maternal love, but further plot details remain under wraps. The Kazakhstani director’s recent television work also includes Mūnai and Khanskaya Okhota. Tulegenov studied acting before moving into directing, making eight short films and earning early recognition on the festival circuit before completing his first feature, Brothers, in 2022. In an interview with The Times of Central Asia, Tulegenov explained why filmmakers from Kazakhstan now have lessons of their own to share with international colleagues, how his acting education helps him on set, and how a director adapts when nature rewrites the plan, from unexpected snow in Aktau to the icy waters of the Caspian Sea. TCA: Your path into international cinema began while you were still a student. Which festival was your first? Tulegenov: Yes, essentially it all started with short films, which I began making while I was still a student. Before making my debut in full-length feature cinema, I made eight short films and several series. My short films won many awards around the world. My first trip abroad with one of my films was, I think, to Bishkek, to a short film festival, where I won the Grand Prix. That was the beginning. After that, I really traveled a lot thanks to cinema. TCA: One of those trips took you to Iran’s Fajr Film Festival. How did that experience influence you as a filmmaker? Tulegenov: In Iran, I participated in the Talent Campus program. It is similar to Berlinale Talents at the Berlin Film Festival, only at the Fajr Film Festival. They organize it for participants from Arab countries, Central Asia, other parts of Asia, and other regions. Well-known Iranian directors serve as mentors there: Majid Majidi was there, for example, and Asghar Farhadi had come the year before me. For a student, it is an amazing experience because you can attend lectures by masters of Iranian cinema while surrounded by people from all over the world. At some point, you realize that filmmakers everywhere actually speak the same language, and where you studied does not matter at all. You can study cinema in Iran, Kazakhstan, or America. The main thing is to speak the language of real cinema. [caption id="attachment_56009" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] All images courtesy of Darkhan Tulegenov[/caption] TCA: You also studied at the New York Film Academy. How different was that experience from studying in Kazakhstan? Tulegenov: Yes, it was what they called an “academic mobility program” at the Zhurgenov Academy, where I graduated. I don’t know whether it still exists, but at the time they sent us to Los Angeles for three months. The academy paid for our tickets, daily expenses, and other costs. For me, above all, it was an...

World Nomad Games

Kazakhstan Tops World Nomad Games Amid Conflicting Medal Counts

Kazakhstan finished at the top of the 2026 World Nomad Games medal standings, although conflicting published results have left questions over the final tally. According to the rules, the team with the most gold medals wins. The sixth edition ended in Kyrgyzstan on September 6, following a week of traditional sports around Issyk-Kul. The Games opened in Bishkek on August 31 before competition moved to venues around Cholpon Ata and Kyrchyn. Qazinform reported that Kazakhstan finished with 32 gold medals and 74 medals overall. Kyrgyzstan placed second despite collecting more medals in total, because gold medals determined the rankings. The outlet credited the host nation with 84 medals, including 30 gold. It placed Russia third with 36 medals and Mongolia fourth with 21. Uzbekistan completed its top five with 19 medals. Kyrgyzstan’s presidential press secretary, Askat Alagozov, acknowledged a “technical discrepancy” in the count on September 7, according to state news agency Kabar. He said the organizing committee decided to count the medals of three Kazakh athletes separately, putting Kazakhstan first in the overall team standings. “We congratulate our Kazakh brothers on their victory!” Alagozov said. He emphasized that the Games’ main achievement was bringing the two peoples together through mutual respect and fair competition. A further report carried by Asia News Network says Mongolia finished fourth with 26 medals. That differs from the 21 medals reported by Qazinform. These differences do not establish that medals were wrongly awarded, but they do mean the available accounts cannot be combined into a definitive final table. For Kazakhstan, the closing day proved decisive. Its athletes added six gold medals as the country secured first place. Alagozov’s statement confirmed Kazakhstan’s first place, although published medal totals still differ. Kabar also reported that the Games’ media headquarters said no official medal or overall team standings were maintained between countries.

Elena Rybakina

Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina To Become World No. 1

Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan has secured the No. 1 ranking for the first time in her career after defeating Zheng Qinwen of China in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open on Wednesday. Rybakina, 27, is the first man or woman from Kazakhstan to ascend to the top of the rankings, according to the WTA. She overtakes Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and will officially become the new No. 1 in singles when the updated rankings are released after the U.S. Open on September 14, the WTA said. Moscow-born Rybakina said she dreamed of becoming the world’s top-ranked player since she was a young girl. "I’m so proud of this moment,” she said in remarks that were posted by the WTA. “I want to thank my whole team for their support and being able to celebrate this achievement with me." President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan congratulated Rybakina, commending her for her talent, hard work, self- belief, and “exemplary conduct” on and off the court. “With this remarkable achievement, you have brought great pride to Kazakhstan and inscribed your name in the history of world tennis. Your journey inspires thousands of young athletes in our country and millions of tennis fans around the globe,” Tokayev said. Rybakina has had particularly strong results over the last year, winning the 2025 WTA Finals title as well as the second Grand Slam title of her career at the 2026 Australian Open. She won Wimbledon in 2022. The Kazakh beat Zheng 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. She was down 3-4 in the third set and faced a break point that would have put Zheng in a commanding position and serving for the match. But Rybakina turned things around with a run of points and is now in her first U.S. Open semifinal.

Cinematography

“It’s a Fantasy About Those Who Could Have Prevented the Tragedy”: Shugyla Yeshen on Kazakhstan’s New Cinema

Kazakhstan’s Semipalatinsk nuclear test site was the scene of more than 450 Soviet nuclear tests, leaving a legacy of illness, environmental damage, and displacement that continues to shape the country. A new historical action film, Zheti Qaraqshy, reimagines that history through a group of seven young heroes who set out to prevent the tragedy. For 24-year-old actress Shugyla Yeshen, who plays one of the seven, the film prompted her to look more closely at a history she had known about since childhood. Yeshen also works at one of Kazakhstan’s leading Kazakh-language theaters and is beginning to develop projects of her own. In an interview with The Times of Central Asia, she discussed the shortage of substantial roles for women, the discipline she learned in theater, her ambitions beyond Kazakhstan, and why her character goes into action armed with a slingshot. TCA: One of Kazakhstan’s most anticipated projects of the year, Zheti Qaraqshy, will be released on September 24. Tell us about the film and your character. Yeshen: Literally translated from Kazakh, Zheti Qaraqshy means “Seven Bandits,” but there is a play on words: it is also the Kazakh name for the Big Dipper. It’s a historical action film set in the 1980s. It’s about seven very different people who come together for one important mission. They all have very different personalities, but they’re interesting, and each of them has secrets. My character’s name is Gainy. She grew up in an orphanage with her foster brothers. I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but at some point they become the heroes of one of the most important historical events. TCA: The film tells Kazakhstan’s history in the language of comic books. Is it a kind of Kazakh Suicide Squad? Yeshen: Probably, yes. Each of the seven has their own weapon. Mine, for example, is a slingshot. It seems like a childish, harmless weapon, but when you actually pick one up, it can be quite dangerous and hit a target very accurately. It all depends on who is holding it. I think that describes my character perfectly. Gainy is the same: she looks like a harmless girl, but in reality she is a strong and daring heroine. TCA: The film is connected to the tragedy of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, where the Soviet Union conducted hundreds of nuclear tests. You belong to a very young generation of Kazakhstanis. How much did you know about this history before filming? Yeshen: Of course, I had known about it since childhood, but to be honest, I had never really gone very deeply into the subject. It was only when we started filming – and even after the film – that I began to fully understand what it was really about and how many lives the test site actually destroyed. An older colleague of mine said something I really liked. He said this film is a fantasy about a team of brave young people who could...

World Nomad Games

Kyrgyzstan Beats Kazakhstan 12-0 to Win World Nomad Games Kok Boru Gold

Kyrgyzstan has won the kok-boru title at the 6th World Nomad Games after overwhelming Kazakhstan 12-0 in Sunday’s final at the Kok-Boru Arena in Cholpon-Ata. The hosts dominated the match and shut Kazakhstan out entirely. In the third period, Baytegin Omorbekov, Ernazar Koshumbaev, and Mirbek Mukashev added to Kyrgyzstan’s total, before Anarbek uulu Seitbek scored again as the margin widened. [video width="478" height="850" mp4="https://timesca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/A-gY_JlG.mp4"][/video] The victory gave Kyrgyzstan the gold medal, with Kazakhstan taking silver and Russia bronze. The medal ceremony was held later on Sunday in Cholpon-Ata. The sport combines horsemanship, strength, and close physical contact, and remains one of the biggest crowd draws at the Games. Kyrgyzstan also defeated Kazakhstan 7-2 in the kokpar final, completing a sweep of the two major mounted team events on the final day of competition. Before the final, several men reportedly tried to force their way through a police cordon into the stands and were detained. The incident did not disrupt the match.

Tazy Dogs

From Steppe Hunting to the World Dog Show: Kazakhstan Marks First Tazy and Tobet Day

Kazakhstan is marking Tazy and Tobet Day for the first time on September 3, celebrating two indigenous dog breeds that performed very different roles on the nomadic steppe for centuries. The swift Tazy accompanied hunters, while the large Tobet guarded livestock and encampments. Kazakhstan is now seeking greater international recognition for both: the Tazy has already received provisional recognition from the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) and made its debut at the World Dog Show, while geneticists are studying the origins of the Tobet. The new commemorative date was established in 2026 and will be observed annually on September 3. The date coincides with the anniversary of the FCI’s decision to provisionally recognize the Kazakh Tazy. On September 3, 2024, the organization accepted the breed on a provisional basis, published its official standard, and designated Kazakhstan as its country of origin. The FCI is a Belgium-based international federation of national canine organizations whose standards are used at major international dog shows. For Kazakhstan, its decision was also significant because it formally identified Kazakhstan as the Tazy’s country of origin. Provisional recognition does not yet amount to definitive recognition. The Tazy is listed in the FCI nomenclature under number 372 and belongs to Group 10, Sighthounds. The breed can already compete at international FCI shows and is eligible for World and Section Winner titles, but Certificat d’Aptitude au Championnat International de Beauté (CACIB) awards, which are required for the International Beauty Champion title, will become available only after definitive recognition. The Tazy is a light hunting sighthound adapted to Central Asia’s vast open spaces and sharp temperature fluctuations. On the steppe, it was used to hunt hares, foxes, and other game, often alongside horses and birds of prey. The value of a good hunting dog extended far beyond its practical role. The Tazy is associated with the Kazakh concept of Zheti Qazyna, or the “Seven Treasures,” a traditional idea encompassing some of a person’s most important companions and possessions. There is no single historically fixed list of the seven, but a hunting dog appears in many of its commonly cited versions. A year after receiving provisional recognition, the breed reached one of the world’s biggest international stages. In August 2025, eight Tazy dogs from Kazakhstan traveled to Helsinki for the World Dog Show, the FCI’s flagship international gathering. Held on August 8-10, the event marked the Kazakh Tazy’s first official presentation at the World Dog Show following its new international status. The Tobet represents a different side of life on the steppe. It is a large livestock guardian dog, adapted to living alongside herds and protecting them from predators. The work demanded endurance, independence, and the ability to operate across great distances in extreme heat and cold. Unlike the Tazy, the Tobet does not yet have separate recognition as an FCI breed. In recent years, however, its origins have become the subject of genetic research. In 2024, an international group of scientists studied 107 Tobet dogs from Kazakhstan and Mongolia. The research,...