SCHIZO
Directed by: Guka Omarova.
Produced by: Sergei Azimov, Sergei Bodrov & Sergei Selyanov.
Written by: Sergei Bodrov & Guka Omarova.
Director of Photography: Khasen Kydyraliyev.
Edited by: Ivan Lebedev.
Released by: Picture This! Entertainment.
Language: Russian with English subtitles.
Country of Origin: Kazakhstan/Russia/France/Germany. 86 min. Not Rated.
With: Olzhas Nussuppaev, Olga Landina & Kanagat Nurtay.

Set against the austere landscape of 1990’s Kazakhstan, a lonely teenager, Mustafa (Olzhas Nussuppaev), nicknamed Schizo because of his simple-mindedness and inability to do well in school, joins his mother’s boyfriend in the illegal racket of finding fighters for illicit boxing matches. One of the boxers, who is dying after a harsh beating, implores Schizo to deliver money to his girlfriend Zina (Olga Landina) on the edge of town. Schizo finds the ramshackle house and meets the pretty, blonde girlfriend of the dead boxer. He falls in love and joins her family in a complex but believable situation that makes him part son and part lover to the older Zina and big brother to her adorable young son. However, this means that Schizo must be a provider in a world with little work. He manages to lure his middle-aged, vodka-drinking uncle into the boxing ring; an act which ultimately leads the boy into a lot of money and a lot of danger.

It is impossible not to sympathize with Schizo, a quiet boy who conveys his innocence through his delightful smile. It seems as if he is simply following his fate, which brings him both personal tragedy and rebirth. Although the film avoids melodrama, it presents a morality tale reminiscent of a Greek tragedy. First time director Guka Omarova sets the stage with stunning cinematography that uses the natural scenery to reveal Schizo’s character – he is a small figure against a stark backdrop of golden fields and a vast lake. There is a beauty in the landscape, but it is a harsh world where a life of crime appears to be the only way to survive. The film’s subject matter is one we’ve seen before, but because the film does not promise more than it can deliver, we can forgive the uncomplicated characters and simple story line and appreciate the truthful performances and beautiful cinematography. Caitlin Shamberg, former programming associate for the Mill Valley Film Festival
March 18, 2005