Aktan Abdikalikov | Kyrgyzstan, France | 1998 | 81’ | Kyrgyz spoken, Dutch subtitles | Distribution: Contact Film
Aktan Abdikalikov's feature début is the first part of an autobiographical trilogy. Beshkempir (The Adopted Son) centres around an old Kyrgyz custom: when a couple remains childless, a large family within the community will give up one of its many children for the childless couple to raise. It is no secret, but as soon as the transfer has taken place, it is no longer a matter of discussion.
The young teenage boy Adyr played by Abdikalikov's son lives a life of fun and play in a rural Kyrgyz village. He and his friends mess around in the brick mud pits, make sculptures of naked women, dream about girls and occasionally attend an outdoor movie showing. However, Adyr's carefree days come to a sudden end when he gets into a heated fight with a friend and it is revealed that he is adopted. His friends then reject him. The death of a dear family member aggravates his life's turmoil. Despite his grief, Adyr manages to wipe away his tears, pay his last respects and find his way to maturity. Beshkempir won many awards in international film festivals, including the Silver Leopard Prize at the Locarno International Film Festival in 1998.Wednesday 17 august, 5.00 pm, Rialto 
