The Light Thief

Cast

Aktan Arym Kubat as Svet-Ake

Taalaikan Abazova as Bermet

Askat Sulaimanov as Bekzat

Asan Amanov as Esen

Stanbek Toichubaev as Mansur

Plot

Our main character Svet-Ake, or Mr. Light, is the local electrician in an extremely impoverished, underfunded Kyrgyz town. He tries his best to be the man of the people who, in a robin hood fashion, manipulates the electric meters for those who cannot afford to pay for their electricity. Even with this, he sees that more and more townspeople are leaving the town in search of better jobs, threatening the town's tradition and way of life.

Svet-Ake is a humble and humorous man, however, this may be his undoing. When Bezkat, a businessman, comes to Svet-Ake's town, he promises to fund Svet-ake's windmills and modernize the valleys if he works for him. However, Bezkat is corrupt and tries to manipulate the local government and becomes the mayor. Svet-Ake soon realizes that Bezkat's work is destroying the very land and tradition he so dearly wanted to protect.

Corruption in the Movie

Bekzat names Mansur the mayor without any voting at all.

The windmills are tied up. If they were freed, everyone could have had electricity and the village would flourish

Protests against the presidency with red flags.

Political Opposition Silenced: when Svet was beaten as he tried to speak out against the corruption.

Reviews

“The Light Thief might be a simple story, but it's ultimately a complex film” –Montreal Gazette

“With a burning subject such as energy control high on the world’s priority list, this is a surefire festival item, with definite chances for niche art house distribution.” –[./Http://www.screendaily.com/reviews/latest-reviews/the-light-thief-svet-ake/5016911.article Screen Daily]

Awards

Locarno International Film Festival - Piazza Grande

Toronto International Film Festival - Contemporary World Cinema

Cannes Film Festival - Directors' Fortnight

Eurasia International Film Festival - FIPRESCI Prize