Filming of a new feature film called "Aliya" will soon begin in Kazakhstan, dedicated to the life and feat of Aliya Moldagulova, the legendary Kazakh sniper girl and heroine of the Great Patriotic War. The project is timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Aliya's birth and the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, and its premiere is scheduled for May 2025.
Aliya Moldagulova was born in October 1925 in the Aktobe region and, while still a teenager, voluntarily went to the front. During the war, she showed extraordinary bravery, performing the most dangerous tasks and becoming an example of indomitable spirit and patriotism. Her life ended at the young age of 18, but left a vivid mark on the history of the Second World War.
Work on the biographical drama began after Russian journalist and actress Alyona Kuleshova, inspired by the opening of the monument to Aliya in St. Petersburg, devoted three years to writing the script. In the process of creating the script, the team of authors conducted extensive research in order to convey the story of Aliyah's life as accurately and truthfully as possible, sifting out myths and legends.
The film will be directed by Alain Niyazbekov, known for his work in Kazakh cinema. ("Holidays in Thailand", "My big Kazakh family", "Agashki on call 2: the beginning", "Auylbai district police officer", "You are the boss", "Almaty, I love you").
"We decided to choose the genre of psychological war drama. The emotional intensity increases as the plot develops and reaches its maximum in the fight scenes. We are sure that the film will be attractive both to the audience in Kazakhstan and the countries of the former USSR, as well as in the far abroad, the picture has all the potential for this," said the director of the film.
It is symbolic that the nationwide casting for the role of young Aliyah starts on May 9. The international project is looking for an actress of Kazakh nationality aged 15-16 years, which will give the film a special authenticity. Filming is scheduled for this fall and will take place in various locations in Kazakhstan, including the cities of Petropavlovsk, Ust-Kamenogorsk and Uralsk, possibly Belarus.
The film "Aliya" promises to become a significant event in the cultural life of Kazakhstan, emphasizing the importance of remembering the heroic past of the Kazakh people during the Second World War. Aliya Maldagulova was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, who died in the battles for the liberation of Leningrad in January 1944.
The production of the film will be handled by the Microcosm Pictures film company, the director of photography was Sherkhan Tansykbayev ("Brother or Marriage", "Zhol", "Retribution", "Donor"). The general producer and one of the screenwriters is Alexander Shukhov.
Recall that back in 1985, the Kazakfilm studio and director Bolotbek Shamshiev shot the Soviet film "Snipers", dedicated to Alia Moldagulova. The film became a laureate at the XIX-th All-Union Film Festival.
