The Polygon shines a light on the village of Sarzhal in East Kazakhstan, situated only 18kms from the perimeter of the former Semipalatinsk Test Site, more
The Polygon shines a light on the village of Sarzhal in East Kazakhstan, situated only 18kms from the perimeter of the former Semipalatinsk Test Site, that was home to over 600 nuclear detonations. Between 1949 and 1991 the Soviet Union detonated 116 above ground bombs, whose massive radioactive mushroom clouds were witnessed by thousands of innocent and unsuspecting Kazakh villagers. They gazed openmouthed at the spectacle, completely unaware that nuclear fallout was raining down on them, their children, livestock and homes. 20 years after the closure of The Polygon they are still suffering high rates of cancer, cancer related diseases and mental illness. The Polygon takes us on a journey from the twisted Cold War experiments to those victims who remain today, still suffering despite the emergence of Kazakhstan as a major economic player on the global stage. close
When Kazakhstan moved its capital to Astana, a provincial town surrounded by endless steppe became a futuristic metropolis. In Capital, stories of the more
When Kazakhstan moved its capital to Astana, a provincial town surrounded by endless steppe became a futuristic metropolis. In Capital, stories of the city's residents intersect against the backdrop of the city's tenth anniversary celebration. Cranes stretch as far as the eye can see while fear over the financial crisis spreads and Astana's first generation faces the reality of life on utopia's outskirts. close
An ordinary boy Khan Dossaev from the provincial town of Taldykorgan considers himself a real Khan, that is, the chosen one. He wants to make an intellectual more
An ordinary boy Khan Dossaev from the provincial town of Taldykorgan considers himself a real Khan, that is, the chosen one. He wants to make an intellectual revolution. Thanks to high ambition and determination, he is ready to move mountains on his way. He is driven by an idea, and he tries to change the structure of society and people's outlook on life with the help of ... dancing. So who is he really - a hero or a madman ?! close