In 1961, the studio was renamed "Kyrgyzfilm," and in 2002 it was named after the outstanding director Tolomush Okeyev.
Today, this holiday is celebrated not only by the employees of "Kyrgyzfilm" but also by all filmmakers in the country.
New Horizons for the Film Studio
Maksat Jumayev, director of "Kyrgyzfilm," told 24.kg that in honor of the holiday, a mural was created on the studio building in tribute to Tolomush Okeyev.
He also spoke about the studio's plans and achievements.
“We are currently preparing to shoot a film about Jusuп Abdrakhmanov, which will begin in January. The premiere is scheduled for Independence Day in 2026. Next year, we plan to shoot 11 films, including short films, three historical films, and four festival films,” added Jumayev.
According to him, next year the film studio will receive two new pavilions and a Dolby Atmos recording studio. Additionally, a complete update of the material and technical base and the reconstruction of the cinema, which has not been renovated since Soviet times, is planned.
One of the most successful films of the year, according to Maksat Jumayev, is "Kara Kyzyl Sary" by director Aktan Arym Kubat, which has already received several awards.
“Soon, the premieres of two more films will take place — "Tutkun" by Temir Birnazarov and "Buiruk" by Dastan Madalbekov. They will first be shown at festivals and then in Kyrgyzstan. Films from "Kyrgyzfilm" receive high praise abroad and annually take prize-winning places at various festivals. Our goal is to win at the Cannes or Berlin Film Festival,” shared Jumayev's plans.
Market Growth
Films from the studio 1.1 Studio are becoming increasingly popular. One of the founders, Bakhtiyar Matyanyu, stated that the studio releases 2-3 films a year.
“We do not strive for quantity; the quality of cinema is more important to us,”
Bakhtiyar Matyanyu
He noted that film budgets in Kyrgyzstan range from $60,000 to $300,000.
“On average, producers try to stay within $100,000 to $120,000. Profit varies: a film can yield 1.5 to 3 times its investment, and some can be significantly more profitable if they resonate with audiences. Of course, there are films that do not recoup their costs, but none of our 10-year projects have gone into the red,” added the representative of 1.1 Studio.
According to Bakhtiyar, the film market has been growing almost twofold annually in recent years. Total box office receipts have already exceeded 1.5 billion som per year, while in 2022, this figure was less than 400 million som.
“This boom began after the pandemic and the imposition of sanctions, around 2022. Hollywood has shrunk, and the demand for local cinema has increased, with cinemas actively opening in the regions. Local producers responded by creating higher-quality films, which collectively led to market growth,” explained Bakhtiyar Matyanyu.
He added that viewers have become more selective and demanding regarding the quality of local cinema. Comedies remain popular, but other genres such as dramas, thrillers, and horror films are also starting to gain popularity.
“There is no specific genre that guarantees success. Good cinema becomes popular regardless of genre. If a film is bad, neither genre nor marketing can save it,”
Bakhtiyar Matyanyu
Among the latest works of 1.1 Studio, the most popular film has been "Ot."
New Records
Suyun Otkiev, creator of the online cinema Etnomedia and a member of the association of Kyrgyz film producers, noted that the Kyrgyz film industry is experiencing a real boom, as this year a record was set — 70 domestic films were produced.
“We track all films created in Kyrgyzstan. This year we broke the record; previously, there were about 50-55 films per year,” emphasized the director.
Five years ago, on Kyrgyz Cinema Day, the Etnomedia platform was launched, where users can watch Kyrgyz films in excellent quality for a small fee.
“Currently, our database contains about 600 Kyrgyz films. We have about 95 percent of all films made in Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyz people living abroad watch our films on this platform, including viewers from Russia, America, and Europe. We have implemented a film rating feature to compile their rankings. Comedies remain the most popular, but thrillers were also in demand this year. If previously there were only 3-4 hits a year, now new popular films appear every month, indicating a rise in quality,” noted Suyun Otkiev.
He added that there are currently about 70 film studios operating in Kyrgyzstan, and while successful films were previously created only by experienced studios, now even young teams can produce successful products.
Suyun Otkiev also reported that in recent years, the country has started actively producing series. He himself directed the first historical series "Kara-Kyrgyz," which will premiere in December.
