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On the official website of Nifff, Yerden Telemissov’s sci-fi comedy “Sasyq” is described as a “Roadside alien encounter”, and it is summarised with such precision and wit that any other one-liner can hardly top it. The film about the bromance between two stinkers from different planets screens in the festival’s International Competition, and it is a pretty out-of-this-world experience. It heavily leans on the Kazakh comedy tradition, which is raw and still matter-of-factly politically incorrect, particularly in its use of violence and salty jokes to make a point. Yet, it also marks the beginning of something new in the country’s filmic landscape. We are thrown into a seemingly vacuous, crazy story about the unlikely friendship between two intergalactic losers, who represent the marginalised group of social outcasts fighting against windmills. The world needs more Sci-Fi movies from Kazakhstan, the country famous for the original, offbeat productions largely unspoiled by foreign influences.

The Austin Film Festival (Aff) has announced the 2022 Film Competition Jury and Audience Award winners alongside the Screenplay Competition winners. In the festival, writers are recognized for their contribution to film, television, theatre and new media. The competitions received over 5,000 film submissions and over 10,000 script submissions.

Film Jury Awards

Narrative Feature: Welcome, Violeta!, written by Fernando Fraiha & Inés Bortagaray, directed by Fernando Fraiha

Documentary Feature: With this Light, directed by Nicole Bernardi-Reis & Laura Bermúdez

Comedy Vanguard Feature: The Library Boys, written/directed by Zane Borg

Dark Matters Feature: The Domestic, written/directed by Brad Katzen

Narrative Short: One for Sorrow, Two for Joy, written/directed by Ana Yang

Student Short: Sammy, Without Strings, written by Will Henderson, III & Ralph Parker, III, directed by Ralph Parker, III

Documentary Short: Gina, directed by Kathryn Prescott

Animated Short: Rosemary A.D. (After Dad), directed by Ethan Barrett

Produced Digital Series: Serjan Bratan, written by Alisher Utev & Sergei Litovchenko,...