Podarok Stalinu

On my opinion, the movie is one of the best pieces of Kazakhstan cinematography. The character of Kasym is described and played amazingly by talented Nurzhuman Ikhtymbayev. I'm truly thankful that our land has such talents. Beautiful nature scenes - steppe until horizon - catches eye of a viewer. Folk song on the background - "Zhelsiz tyndei zhryk ai" by Abai Kunanbayev - creates feeling that nature and land are eternal, only people that live on the land and their stories change.

The end scene with the first exposure from Semipalatinsk nuclear test site (29.08.1949) is full with sorrow and horror, it is just impossible not to cry... Emotionally strong story, which I recommend to see.

I've recently seen this movie and really liked it (cried in some parts), the story is very touching and depicts the part of history that many people are not aware of, that being the nuclear activity in Kazakhstan and the consequent tragedy of it and of course the suffering of the exiled people and generally the country's difficult path during those years. The movie manages to tell all that through the relationship of the characters and does not focus on the political side making it very interesting. Personally I loved it and would highly recommend especially if you are acquainted in some ways with Kazakhstan.

Podarok Stalinu (2008) directed by Rustem Abdrashitov, is shown in the U.S. with the title, "A Gift for Stalin." The film's setting is Kazakhstan, a country on the steppes of Central Asia. The Soviets subdued the Kazakh population, and then used Kazakhstan as a destination for forced migrations, and as a site for penal colonies. It is not a pleasant history to contemplate.

The film opens in a freight car, just as an old Jewish man is dying. He utters the Hebrew prayer that Jews want on their lips at the moment of death. His young grandson is with him. When the train arrives, officials unload the dead, including the boy. As it turns out, the boy is alive, and is rescued by two local railroad workers. The remainder of the film traces the boy's experiences in a nearby village, and the interaction of those around him with local police and Soviet military officials.

There are moments of humor in the film, as well as acts of great tenderness and caring. However, the situation is basically tragic, and there's an undercurrent of fear even during the quiet moments.

The acting is uniformly excellent. If I had to single out one truly outstanding performance, it would be that of Yekaterina Rednikova as Verka, a young woman sent to Kazakhstan because her husband was a political prisoner in Russia.

As it turns out, the young boy's parents are also political prisoners. The "gift for Stalin" is his attempt to convince the authorities that his parents should be freed.

We saw this fine film at the excellent Rochester Jewish Film Festival. It's probably best seen in a theater, but it will work pretty well a small screen. It's definitely worth seeking out.

This movie depicts the atrocities committed by the Soviet regime, particularly during the Stalin era in graphic detail. The movie depicts communist officials with the same brush used for Nazis in other movies, and in this respect the movie is a first. It was disappointing to find out that the movie is fictional,because it is hard to invent a story like this unless it's been a life experience and I wish I knew more about the author. Btw, the background music of the movie is the Israeli anthem, HaTikvah. I believe that the reason this was chosen is not only because of the scenes that take place in Jerusalem, but because the words of HaTikvah talk about the strength and eternity of the Jewish soul. Perhaps this is the only truly Jewish aspect of the movie. The cruelty of the Soviet authorities here cover the entire spectrum, from the very high levels (Stalin, his propaganda and his deportations) to the lowest level (Vera's rapes by military and militiamen irrespective of rank). Not one decent person is found among the uniformed Communists, military and militia. Against this background, all that happens to Sasha is a miracle, including the way he discovers his Jewishness, while his grandfather is dying. The film is very impressive on all levels: in its choice of subject matter, film sets and actors. On the background of cruel dictatorship, where people who have done nothing wrong rot in the Kazakh steppe in harsh conditions, the movie is optimistic, and this makes it very watchable. The humanity of the Kazakhs in risking their lives in saving the boy and the fact that neither communism nor gulags break their spirit is remarkable. Moreover, the film manages for the first time to stress that all monotheistic religions are basically the same at their core. Muslims, Jews and Christians pray to the same God, and have strikingly similar rituals, and there is no basic reason for hate other than criminal ideology of Stalin (and in our times, other leaders). There is much more to say about this movie, but I think this is sufficient for people interested in life in the Soviet Union. I saw this movie at a Jewish film festival, but the movie is not Jewish. Sasha's Judaism is in my view marginal to the plot. The acting is terrific and the movie is a feast.