At a recent press screening of the Kazakhstani fantasy comedy All on Mosles: Battle of the Generations, the audience laughed, applauded and, perhaps most tellingly, relived childhood memories. Some even left wanting to play asyki again. The film’s creators achieved what seemed nearly impossible: they transformed an almost forgotten traditional game into a vibrant cinematic adventure appealing to both adults and children. The Times of Central Asia spoke with the film's authors, Yerken Gubashev, Yerkebulan Bekturov, and Mikhail Ulanov, about how the project came to life, the challenges they encountered, and why asyk atu is more than just a game. Now showing across Kazakhstan, the film centers on asyk atu, an ancient game where players aim to knock opponents’ asyk (ram’s knuckle bones) from a designated area using a special, often weighted and decorated, throwing asyk known as a sak. Popular across Soviet Kazakhstan until the 1990s, the game has since been revived by cultural activists. Today, asyk atu is included on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. [caption id="attachment_30806" align="aligncenter" width="797"] Image: TCA, Askar Kubaizhanov[/caption] TCA: Tell us about your film. How did the idea come about? Yerken Gubashev: I was really the initiator of the whole project. I co-wrote the script, co-produced the film, and played one of the lead roles. But more than that, it was my dream to bring asyki back and turn them into something grand. Watching my son and his friends sitting on the street, absorbed in their phones, was tough. When we were kids, asyki was real life. We played for hours, competing, learning dexterity, patience, and respect. I started imagining a world where asyki was the number one sport, with world championships and a whole culture surrounding it. I shared the idea with Yerkebulan and Mikhail, and we couldn’t stop. Mikhail Ulanov: We began to imagine: What if asyks could fly? What if each player had a unique technique? What if one could come to life or transform into a weapon? From this, a fantastical world emerged, rooted in tradition but filled with comedy, fantasy, and even superhero parody. Yerkebulan Bekturov: We shaped the film to resonate with modern youth: short, dynamic scenes, sharp transitions, and vivid visuals. Yet it tells a complete story. We believe it will appeal not just to Kazakhstani audiences but also internationally. There are lots of nods to Hollywood, The Gentlemen, Kill Bill, and others, which helps bridge cultures. TCA: The film isn’t just entertainment, is it? Is there a cultural mission here? Yerken Gubashev: Absolutely. Our goal is to bring asyki back to the playgrounds so kids share, compete, and step away from social media. More broadly, it's about reconnecting with our roots. Kazakh traditional culture is rich but underrepresented in cinemas. Importantly, asyki isn’t only Kazakh, it’s a Turkic game played by Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, Bashkirs, Tatars, Yakuts, and even in the Caucasus. It’s a vast cultural universe that unites Turkic peoples. Today, even the U.S., Norway, and Finland have national teams. A...
