Kino Club • Mongol (Dir: Sergei Bodrov, 2007)

If Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat (2006) is the only cinematic association you have with Kazakhstan, it is time to expand your mind to fit in something big — really big. The first ever Kazakh movie to be nominated for Oscar, Mongol (2007) is an epic visualization of the life and deeds of none other than Genghis Khan (c. 1155-1227), the most fearsome warrior human civilization has known. A zero-to-hero biopic packed with action, adventure, and, yes, more than a bit of violence, the Sergei Bodrov-directed movie is not shy about its ambition: this larger-than-life moving canvass is here to revive the legendary Hollywood saga while telling the story precious few Westerners have heard of, let alone seen. Come, see for yourself, and be warned: Mulan may have a hard time fighting for your attention after you submit yourself to yoke of the Great Khan of the Mongol Empire.

Introduction by Dr. Stanislav Shvabrin (Germanic & Slavic Languages)

Sponsored by the Germanic & Slavic Languages and Literatures Kino Club and the Russian Flagship program.