Kassandra (Kyrgyzstan) - Opening Film + Reception *Limited VIP Seats*
. Genre: Ethno-Mystical Horror Drama
. Country: Kyrgyzstan
. Year:2026. Duration:90 min
. Director: Bekzat Pirmatov
. Language(s): Kyrgyz
. Subtitles:English
. Producer: Asel Sherniyazova, Meder Suyundukov, Aijan Imankulova
. Principal Cast :Enlik Ayymgazy, Gulayum Kanimetova, Ainura Kachkynbek Kyzy, Sharshekul Amanova, Zhannatbek Kerimbaev, KerimovEldiyar Zharashev
. Synopsis: When a grieving woman wakes night after night feeling strangled by an unseen presence, her search for answers leads to a healer who sees ominous marks on pregnant women and to the Kyrgyz legend of Albarsty.
. Director's Bio: Bekzat Pirmatov is a Kyrgyz filmmaker whose bold and poetic vision has brought international attention to Central Asian cinema. He first gained recognition with his debut feature Aurora - a haunting and socially reflective film that became a landmark in the region’s modern cinematic landscape.
. Director’s Statement: Kassandra is not just a film - it’s a reckoning. A cinematic ritual born from the silence that echoes through generations. In this story, rooted in Kyrgyz folklore yet deeply contemporary, I confront the fears we inherit, the traumas we bury, and the truths we refuse to name. At its core, Kassandra is about liberation - from patriarchal myths, from inherited pain, and from the silence that protects abusers more than it heals victims. The protagonist’s descent into darkness is not a loss - it is an initiation. Through her, we reclaim the ancient rite of seeing, naming, and surviving.
Date
Asian World Film Festival
The Asian World Film Festival (AWFF), founded by Kyrgyz public figure Sadyk Sher-Niyaz and overseen by Executive & Program Director Georges N. Chamchoum, brings the very best of a broad selection of Asian World cinema to Los Angeles to draw greater recognition to the region's wealth of filmmakers and strengthen ties between the Asian and Hollywood film industries. Uniting through cross-cultural collaboration, the Festival champions films from over 50 countries across Asia plus atonomous Countries, spanning from Turkey to Japan and from Russia to India and South-East Asia. The Festival is unique in that it predominantly screens Oscar and Golden Globe submissions for Best International Feature Film and Best Motion Picture - Foreign Language respectively. All films that participate in the Festival will have a unique chance to be guided through the challenging awards season and showcased to members of the Motion Picture Academy, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and all Guilds for enhanced exposure, media attention and awards consideration.
Asian World Film Festival Los Angeles, 2023 - All Rights ReservedThe Asian World Film Festival is produced by Aitysh USA, a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization. (EIN: 47-3362394)
Please note: Screening times may be adjusted without prior notice due to technical or scheduling circumstances. We appreciate your understanding.