On the eve of Abai Day, the documentary film "Algashi Kitap" premiered in Almaty. It tells the story of the publication of the first book by the great Kazakh poet and thinker Abai Kunanbayev. The film was produced with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the State Center for National Cinema Support.
The open-air screening took place as part of the musical and poetry evening "Abai Alemi" and attracted thousands of spectators. The festive program combined a film screening, a theatrical performance, poetry, and music dedicated to Abai's creative legacy.
"Algashi Kitap" is a docudrama and tells the story of the first printed collection of Abai's works, published in 1909 in St. Petersburg by Ilyas Boragansky. The authors trace the book's journey from the collection and preparation of the works to their publication, talking about the people involved in the publication and the challenges that had to be overcome on the way to the collection's release.
The evening continued with the Almaty Summer Fest concert program, which featured Abai's songs and poems performed by renowned Kazakhstani artists and creative groups.
The evening culminated in a joint open-air performance of Abai's songs. Over a thousand spectators joined the performers, united by the poetic and musical legacy of the great thinker.
The documentary "Algashqy Kitap" will also be shown on the Khabar and Almaty TV channels.