Today’s world is undergoing unprecedented changes not seen for a century. In such times, friendship and mutual trust are more important than ever. In this context, the film «The Composer» takes on deeper significance. Kazakhstan’s screenwriter Sabit Kurmanbekov, who is also a co-director and production designer of «The Composer,» discussed this in a recent interview with the “People’s Daily” newspaper.
According to Sabit Kurmanbekov, he is very proud to have had the opportunity to work on «The Composer,»the first joint Chinese-Kazakh film, and believes that cultural cooperation within the framework of the «Belt and Road Initiative» holds immense potential.
In 2016, Kazakhstan and China signed an agreement to co-produce the film «The Composer,» which tells the story of Chinese composer Xian Xinghai, who moved to Almaty during World War II and was helped by Kazakh composer Bakhytzhan Baikadamov in a difficult time.
Kurmanbekov was invited by the Ministry of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan to serve as the film’s production designer. During the collaboration, Chinese and Kazakh filmmakers quickly became friends. At the suggestion of Chinese director Sherzat Yakub, Kurmanbekov became a co-director of the film. Reflecting on this experience, the Kazakh director noted that he was deeply impressed by the advanced technologies and strict regulations of his Chinese colleagues and was very grateful that his script suggestions were accepted. He said, «Having such an experience in my creative career is a great fortune. »
As a resident of Almaty, Kurmanbekov was well-acquainted with the name Xian Xinghai. However, it was only through working with his Chinese colleagues on the details of the plot that he learned more about the fate of this great Chinese composer. Kurmanbekov often wondered if he could overcome all difficulties and continue creating in a cold, distant foreign country if he were in Xian Xinghai’s place. In his opinion, the composer’s boundless love and devotion to his homeland also touch the soul.
Kurmanbekov stated that «The Composer» is a story about friendship and mutual trust. Friendship is not limited by borders or social status; it can save a person from danger. «In the film, we see everywhere the beauty created by friendship and trust. These excellent qualities are much needed in today’s world,» the director noted.
Kurmanbekov believes that «The Composer» is a very successful film and a model project in terms of humanitarian exchanges between countries. In his view, humanitarian cooperation is as important as political and economic cooperation. The peoples of Kazakhstan and China have a millennia-long history of friendly relations and carry the mission of spreading peace and friendship in the world in the 21st century.
Kurmanbekov emphasized that art is a medium that directly reaches people’s hearts and carries ideas that will be valued and interpreted by future generations. Its influence is irreplaceable. Art can play a role in strengthening trust, spreading respect, and fostering peace.
In 2018, President Xi Jinping of China received the main actors and the film crew of «The Composer» at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing and watched the film’s trailer. Kurmanbekov said that memories of this event still deeply move him. The initiative proposed by the Chinese leader, «One Belt, One Road,» is a grand endeavor that has breathed new life into the Silk Road on the Eurasian continent, promoted the development of participating countries, and helped countless people escape poverty and encounter peace and prosperity. The peoples of Central Asia especially value the connectivity opportunities brought by the initiative’s projects to the five landlocked countries in the region.
In the years following the completion of «The Composer,» Kurmanbekov made a film about mutual assistance between ordinary people on the China-Kazakhstan border. He is currently studying treatises on peace in Chinese philosophy and hopes to adapt shared historical stories from Eurasian countries into film. Kurmanbekov said, «I already have a well-formed concept, and I am very eager to invite a Chinese actor for the lead male role.»
The director added that he hopes to continue contributing to strengthening the friendship and mutual trust between the peoples of Kazakhstan and China through his artistic works.
Source: People’s daily online newspaper.
