The No Violence Film Festival opened in Kazakhstan’s capital with a screening of “Bauyryna Salu,” marking the start of the global campaign titled 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, which launches each year on Nov. 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

The event is organized by the UN Office in Kazakhstan, in partnership with inDrive and the Alternativa project. Organizers opted for cinema rather than speeches or formal presentations as their language to ensure that audiences not only learn but also feel.

This year, the festival is taking place in Astana and Shymkent, with four days of screenings in each city. The program features films from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Nepal, united by a call to end gender-based violence.

“We are opening with a powerful Kazakh film, ‘Bauyryna Salu’ [Adoption]. Through the eyes of one boy, we see how silence shapes fate and how compassion can change it. The film reminds us that violence is not just physical harm. It is emotional distance, pressure, fear, and lack of choice,” said UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan Sarangoo Radnaaragchaa.

The movie, directed by Askhat Kuchincherekov, follows Yersultan, a boy entrusted to his grandmother for raising according to an ancient nomadic tradition. His return to his parents after her death leaves him struggling with resentment and disconnection. The story reflects a centuries-old custom in which grandparents or childless relatives often raise a firstborn – a practice that, according to psychologists, can leave lasting emotional scars.

Digital danger

According to the UN, one in three women worldwide experiences violence at least once in her life, with an estimated 1.3 billion women globally. Fewer than 40% of countries have laws protecting women from online harassment, leaving 1.8 billion women and girls without legal safeguards.

This year’s global theme focuses on ending digital violence against women and girls. Dina Amrisheva, UN Women Kazakhstan Country Program Manager, noted that online spaces should be safe for everyone.

“For millions of women and girls worldwide, the digital space has become unsafe due to harassment, unethical behavior and control. What may start as small signals, such as messages, comments, or posts, can escalate into threats and real-life violence. Personal photos are stolen, false information spreads instantly, locations are tracked, and artificial intelligence is used to create deepfakes designed to intimidate and silence women. Behind every statistic is a real woman or girl,” Amrisheva said.

She emphasized the need to strengthen legislation that protects digital rights and urged technology companies to involve more women in creating safer online platforms, to remove harmful content quickly, and to respond to reports of violence.

UN Resident Coordinator Sarangoo Radnaaragchaa said the scale of online abuse is growing with technology.

“We must work together to make both our streets and our digital spaces safe. I am proud to see strong partnerships here – from UN agencies and civil society to the creative sector, youth networks, volunteers and the private sector,” said Radnaaragchaa.

“The unique power of culture and cinema to reveal what statistics cannot. Art opens the way to empathy, and empathy leads to change,” she said.

Autobiographical core

During a post-screening discussion, Aziz Beishenaliev, an actor and HeForShe Central Asia representative, revealed the film’s autobiographical core.

“Kuchincherekov based the film on his own childhood. I was also sent to live with my grandmother at the age of one year and four months. I stayed with her until I was 13. That experience shaped my relationship with my parents, especially my mother,” said Beishenaliev.

“Children do not choose to be born. Adults make decisions, and they must take responsibility for the consequences. This unconscious psychological trauma is widespread in our region and influences our social thinking,” he said.

Beishenaliyev noted that cinema has significant potential to shape public attitudes and should address issues like violence and parental responsibility. He hopes such films will help audiences show empathy and recognize the importance of these topics.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-geneva/press/news/details/1114936?lang=kk