The Kazakh film “QAITADAN”, which has captured the hearts and recognition of audiences, continues its streak of major successes. The film has won the STEPPE AWARDS — Kazakhstan’s premier prize in the field of creative industries, established by The Steppe media. The project received the award in the “Cinematography” category.

“QAITADAN” is the debut feature film of director Duman Yerkimbek, produced with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the State Center for Support of National Cinema. The project was one of the winners of the 2023 film pitching competition and made history as the first state-supported Kazakh film to gross over 1 billion tenge at the box office.

The film tells the story of Rauan, a city dweller who, after arriving in a rural village, finds himself trapped in a mysterious time loop. As he tries to escape, he becomes a witness to a large-scale disaster that changes his life forever. The film explores themes of generational continuity, responsibility, safety, and mutual support.

The main roles were performed by Zhasulan Kopbergen, Shugyla Yeshenova, Aibek Azimbek, and Yermek Shynbolatov. Filming took place in the Almaty region. The production combined both computer-generated imagery and practical special effects. The production designer was Beken Narbai, and the producers were Zhalyn Tleubergenov and Talgat Syrmanov.

The STEPPE AWARDS celebrate achievements in Kazakhstan’s creative industries. In 2025, awards were presented in 16 categories — from cinema and theatre to creative IT, urbanism, digital art, and the special nomination Steppe Women. The theme of the ceremony was “Renaissance.” Under the slogan “The Art of Becoming,” the organizers honored projects that embody the spirit of discovery, movement, and transformation — the journey from idea to realization.

Press Service of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan