Like most of Issabayeva’s previous films, Rejected tackles a tough subject within the cultural milieu of post-Soviet life in Kazakhstan, where traditional patriarchal values and the problems of the contemporary world intensify issues facing women and society. The film is the story of a 25-year-old woman who went to the city to attend university and ended up as an unmarried mother. She moves back to her village with her young son, to beg forgiveness and acceptance from her family, only to face beatings and rejection that end up affecting her son.  

Issabayeva, who writes most of her own scripts, has been working as a producer and director since 1993, shortly after graduating from university. She made her feature film debut in 2007 with the drama Karoy, which was selected for the Critics Week at Venice. Her fifth feature film Nagima was selected for the Berlinale 2014 Forum programme, going on to win awards at festivals in Moscow, France and Indonesia. Her compelling films have spanned a range of genres, from musical comedy to horror (performed in sign language, no less) as well as a crime TV series.

The film is produced by Issabayeva’s own firm Sun Productions, which also produced her previous films Karoy, Nagima and Sveta.

Production information:

Sun Production (Kazakhstan)
+7 77 72 28 6995

Credits:
Director: Zhanna Issabayeva
Screenplay: Zhanna Issabayeva, Victor Nemchenko
DoP: Mikhail Blintsov
Cast: Zhanargul Zhanyamanova, Nushanbek Zhybanayev, Raikhan Kalioldina, Indira Kulmagambetova, Esim Turarbek
Produced by Alisher Yelikbayev, Zhanna Issabayeva, Saken Usser