
DamirManabai'sKek(Revenge,Kazakhstan,2006)whichwonaSpecialJuryPrizeforBestCinematographyisprettystandardfareaswell.Basicallyahorse-ridingactionfilmofacouplewhowanttobetogetherdespitetheirfamily'swishes,thefilmiscleanlyshotwithpolishedaction.ManabaihasseenbetterdayswithhisclassicSurzhekey,TheAngelofDeath(1991).<br/> A"Romeo&Juliet"typetaleofforbiddenlovesonthesteppesofKazakhstan.Yershora,amaidenfromtheAdaiclan,instantlyfallsinlovewithZhemalfromtheneighboringZhaumitclan.Thelover'shappinesslastsforonenight.Whenmorningcomes,Zhemal'sclanfindsthetwotogether.Inthecourseofclanrevenge,ZhemalissubjectedtotortureandYershoraloseshermemory.<br/> TwoloversshareanidyllicnightofblisstogetherbeforebeingviolentlyseparatedbyfateindirectorDamirManabai'sgrimdrama.FamiliesandtribesoftheKazakhSteppearedeeplyrootedinancienttradition.YershorisayoungbravefromtheAdaitribe,andZhemalisaravishingbeautyfromtheZhaumitstribe.TheAdaisandtheZhaumitsareswornenemies,andtochallengethatrivalryistofacealmostcertaindoomfrombothtribes.Despitethefactthattheybothremainwellawareoftheconsequencestheirforbiddenlovecanhave,YershorandZhemalthrowcautiontothewindandfollowtheirhearts.Intheaftermath,Zhemalendureshumiliatingtortureatthehandsofherownfamily,andYershorisincarceratedandpreparedforamuchmoresavagepunishment.Butthepainofpunishmentisonlyphysical,andinloveonecansummonthepowertoendureanyamountofsuffering.

