Kanymbek Kassymbekov

Biography

Kanymbek-Kano Kassymbekov (Kazakh: Қанымбек-Қано Қасымбеков; born 4 February 1943; Alma-Ata) was a Soviet and Kazakh film director and screenwriter. Honored Worker of Kazakhstan. After graduation, not knowing a word of Russian, he went to Moscow, entered the VGIK, passed the documents and the exam, but did not pass. He turned to the rector and he, having looked at the young Kazakh with a sharp look, gave instructions to accept him into the institute. Later, the rector, in a conversation with Kasymbekov, said that looking at the shining appearance of his old boots of the war years, he thought: The one who respects his feet respects his head — this hope did not deceive me[1]. Six months later he learned Russian and after studying for five years in 1969 graduated from the directing department of the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography (workshop of G. N. Chukhrai, V. V. Belokurov), receiving a diploma with honors. It was sent to the Kazakhfilm film studio. In 1971, he shot his first full—length feature film "Shock and Cher", which was recognized by an authoritative international jury - the Silver Nymph Prize at the Monte Carlo International Film Festival for the best children's film in 1972. During his career, he shot about ten feature films, mainly children's films and a number of documentaries.