‘We Live Here,' About a Former Soviet Nuclear Test Site, Boarded by Syndicado Ahead of CPH:DOX Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)
Sales agent Syndicado has boarded Zhanana Kurmasheva's feature doc debut 'We Live Here,' ahead of its world premiere at CPH:DOX, where it will compete for the DOX:AWARD.
'We Live Here' follows three generations in the desolate Kazakh steppe, once a Soviet nuclear test site, as they confront the place's haunting legacy.
More from Variety
'Adobe of Down,' About a Religious Community in Siberia, Picked Up by Taskovski Ahead of CPH:DOX Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)
Greenwich Entertainment Acquires Peter Miller's 'Marcella,' Sets May Theatrical Release (EXCLUSIVE)
Documentary About Flaco, Owl Who Escaped Central Park Zoo, in Production at HBO
Between 1949 and 1991, 456 nuclear tests left a legacy of radioactive contamination and suffering. As ecologists map uninhabitable areas, a nearby family struggles with the echoes of the past. Convinced their daughter's illness stems from radiation, they seek proof while she feels torn between love for her homeland and the sense of looming danger it still holds.
Kurmasheva explains: 'My connection to this story is personal. My mother, born near the village of Kainar where nuclear tests left their mark, would warn me: 'Don't tell anyone where I'm from. Especially not any future suitors. People think we're sick.' This stigma follows the people of Semipalatinsk wherever they go. To this day, locals speak of the shame and fear tied to their origins. The world sees them as damaged, marked by the radiation that still haunts their homeland.'
She adds: 'This film is about resilience: of the land and of the people. Their lives intertwine with the steppe in ways that are deeply human. Together, they navigate the aftermath of destruction, clinging to hope and dignity despite the scars they carry.'
Kurmasheva participated in a number of international workshops and training programs, such as the East-West Talent Lab at goEast – Festival of Central and Eastern European Film in 2022. She is the laureate of the 2011 Kulaguer Award for her student documentary 'I Am 20 Years Old!' Her short documentary 'Zhenya' (2013) was showcased at film festivals in Moscow, New York, Yerevan, Sevastopol and Almaty.
'We Live Here' is produced by Banu Ramazanova. The film was supported by Kazakh Cinema: State Center for Support of National Cinema, the EFM Doc Toolbox program, Eurasia Doc (Doc Monde) Script Development Residency, Alternativa Development Lab, GZDOC (Top 10 Documentary Projects), and Tokyo Docs, where it won Best Pitch.
Best of Variety
What's Coming to Disney+ in March 2025
What's Coming to Netflix in March 2025
New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
‘Not Just Participating, Designing the Future': Manga Productions's CEO Essam Bukhary on the Saudi Studio's MIFA Debut
Saudi Arabia's long-standing fascination with Japanese anime is rapidly evolving into a full-fledged creative industry, and State-backed Manga Productions is at the center of that transformation. Led by CEO Essam Bukhary, the studio has gone from licensing beloved titles like 'Grendizer' to co-producing original content such as 'The Journey' and 'Future's Folktales' with major Japanese partners like Toei Animation. More from Variety Steph Curry, Gabrielle Union, Caleb McLaughlin Lead A-List Voice Cast for Sony's Animated Feature 'GOAT' Marvel Animation Premieres First Episode of 'Eyes of Wakanda' at France's Annecy Animation Festival L.A.'s Animation Is Film Unveils October Dates for 2025 Edition, Fest Poster (EXCLUSIVE) The company's ambitious slate of anime films, series, and video games represents more than entertainment, it reflects Saudi Arabia's broader cultural and economic diversification efforts. With a new Dragon Ball theme park underway in Qiddiya and Saudi IPs making waves at the box office and on global streaming platforms, Bukhary is not only helping shape a regional industry, he's positioning it as a serious global contender. As he puts it, 'We're not just participating, we're designing the future.' Bukhary is attending the Annecy Animation Festival for the first time this year. The executive met with Variety ahead of the event to discuss his insights into the Kingdom's growing role in the global animation market, Manga Productions' distribution strategy and how homegrown talent is being nurtured through national training programs and international collaborations. Why is anime so deeply rooted in Saudi culture? It all began in the early 1980s. My generation grew up watching Japanese anime on television. That exposure created a lifelong connection. Even today, my 14-year-old daughter watched 'Haikyuu!!' and was inspired to play volleyball. Anime has had a tangible impact on our lives, and continues to do so. In 2024 alone, Saudi Arabia had around 15 million anime viewers, which was nearly a quarter of all anime viewership in the Arab world. Manga Productions is producing original content now, but the Kingdom has traditionally been an importer of media. How important is it for you to flip that script? It's essential. We've been importing stories for decades, but now it's time to export our own. A Saudi story, told with authenticity, has the power to resonate globally. Our film 'The Journey' is a good example. It was the first Arab movie to premiere at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and has been distributed in over 50 platforms worldwide. It even won awards at the Septimius Awards. We're proving that Saudi stories can compete on the world stage. For new IPs like 'The Journey' and 'Future's Folktales,' are they fully Saudi productions, or are you working with international partners? They're co-productions. I don't say 'made in Saudi' or 'made in Japan.' I say 'made with.' These projects reflect collaboration. We're also working with American companies like Telltale Games on co-developing titles. So yes, we're very open to international co-productions. That's where the future of IP creation lies. How is Saudi Arabia's animation boom impacting the broader economy? It's part of a larger IP economy. Take 'Grendizer,' we didn't just distribute the anime; we licensed it for games and merchandising and even built a 33-meter statue that earned a Guinness World Record. This drove tourism and created a 360-degree revenue model. This is bigger than screens, it's about creating ecosystems that include entertainment, retail, hospitality and beyond. Distribution is a major hurdle for many animation studios. How does having in-house distribution change the game for you? It's a massive advantage. Many creators finish their work and then struggle to find an audience. At Manga, we start distribution planning early, at the concept stage. It helps with financing and exposure. We've built global partnerships and are actively managing IP across multiple platforms, not just producing content. For a young Saudi artist dreaming of working in animation, what opportunities exist today that didn't a few years ago? A lot. We've partnered with the Ministry of Education to offer free online manga classes to 3.5 million students. We run national manga contests. We've brought in Japanese professionals for in-person training, and we send top students to Japan for internships. It's about investing in 'brainware,' creative thinking and storytelling. Many of our current team members started through these programs. What's on the schedule for Manga Productions at Annecy this year? This is my first time attending the Annecy Festival itself, though I've visited the city before. I'm excited to network, explore future trends and showcase Manga Productions' work. Annecy is the perfect place to listen, learn and build partnerships for the future. Do you envision Saudi Arabia hosting its own industry-focused animation festival or market one day? That's the dream. We've already sponsored Anime Japan in Tokyo and are working on bringing Japanese IPs to events like Riyadh Season. We're not just participating—we're designing the future. We regularly host anime directors and producers in Saudi to engage with youth. Building an industry event here is a natural next step. What are you most proud of since launching Manga Productions in 2017? The team. We started with nothing, no staff, no office, no studio. Today, we have 80 employees across Riyadh and Tokyo, many of whom came through our training programs. One of our interns from 2018 is now directing episodes of 'Future's Folktales.' That's the real success: empowering the next generation of Saudi creators. Best of Variety All the Godzilla Movies Ranked Final Oscar Predictions: International Feature – United Kingdom to Win Its First Statuette With 'The Zone of Interest' 'Game of Thrones' Filming Locations in Northern Ireland to Open as Tourist Attractions
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Amanda Seyfried Grossed Out She Invited ‘Dictator' Harvey Weinstein to Past Sundance Premiere: ‘It's Just the Way It Was — We All Needed Him'
Actor Amanda Seyfried said Hollywood is a 'safer' place since the downfall of Harvey Weinstein, while cringing over the influence the movie mogul used to wield. In a roving conversation for Variety's 'Actors on Actors,' Seyfried and two-time co-star Adam Brody reflected on how filmmakers would court Weinstein's attention for indie projects – including their own 'Lovelace,' a 2013 Sundance Film Festival selection that Weinstein ended up acquiring for distribution. More from Variety Amanda Seyfried and Adam Brody on Making 'Jennifer's Body,' Surviving 'O.C.' Fame and 'Mean Girls': 'Paramount Still Owes Me Money for the Likeness' Harvey Weinstein Says He Has 'Regrets' and 'Acted Immorally' Ahead of New York Retrial Verdict: 'But Never Illegal, Never Criminal' Kate Hudson, Adam Brody and the Cast of 'Yellowjackets' Kick Off the Inaugural Newport Beach TV Fest Over a decade ago in Park City, Utah, Seyfried recalled seeing Weinstein 'in a car. Slow motion, he's like rolling down his window and I'm like, 'Are you going to come to 'Lovelace' tomorrow?'' Weinstein told Seyfried he was meant to fly home during her screening but wound up delaying his trip, she told Brody. The 'Mamma Mia' and 'Long Bright River' star said she and her agent celebrated in that moment. 'Lovelace' followed mainstream adult film star Linda Lovelace and her infamous 1972 movie 'Deep Throat.' Brody played her X-rated scene partner. After the premiere screening in Sundance, Seyfried said Weinstein approached her and said he'd bought the project in the room for $3 million. 'I gave him the biggest hug… And it was actually his brother [Bob Weinstein]'s company called Radius, who just fucking trashed it and threw it away and didn't do anything with it and that's fine,' Seyfried said, also using the word 'dictator' to describe the studio head. 'The whole room was buzzing [because Harvey bought it]. He was like the big papa of the room … But it's just the way it was — we all needed him to want our project if it was an indie, because that meant it was going to go somewhere.' Brody remembered Weinstein as 'setting a tone' of fear, before deadpanning: 'What is he doing [now]?' Weinstein is currently sitting trial for sex crimes in New York. As for 'Lovelace,' Seyfried wasn't kidding. The project went on to gross only $1.5 million at the worldwide box office on a reported $10 million budget. Seyfried, currently an Emmy contender for her Peacock cop drama 'Long Bright River,' is grateful that Weinstein's reign of terror has ended. 'Hollywood's a safer place,' she said. 'People were scared of him. And when people are scared of someone, the right things don't happen.' Best of Variety 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Animated Program — Can Netflix Score Big With 'Arcane,' 'Devil May Cry' and the Final Season of 'Big Mouth?'
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Michael Jackson's Chart Record Has Finally Been Beaten
SZA's SOS claims a historic thirty-eighth week at No. 1 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, ... More breaking the tie with Michael Jackson's Thriller. SZA at Variety Hitmakers, Presented By Sony Audio held at Nya West on December 2, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images) SZA has done more with two albums than most musicians manage in a lifetime. Everything about the R&B superstar's career seems to defy the norm in today's music industry, from spacing out her releases by many years to keeping her collections not just on the charts, but in the highest reaches of some of the most competitive tallies in America for years at a time. Her latest full-length, SOS, which is far from new at this point, continues to make history this week, as it remains at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart yet again, helping SZA match one of the greatest musicians of all time. The set earns its thirty-eighth stay on the throne of that list, which ranks the most consumed full-lengths in those styles throughout the U.S. Billboard notes that by keeping its position at No. 1, SOS breaks out of a tie with Thriller by Michael Jackson to claim the most weeks at No. 1 of all time on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Just days ago, the two projects were tied with 37 frames at the summit, but now Thriller has been pushed down — at least for the time being – and it's likely that SOS will continue to rule. SZA's blockbuster isn't just successful on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The full-length is a strong performer across a variety of rankings, thanks largely to sustained streaming activity. At the moment, the project is just one spot away from ruling the Billboard 200, where it sits at No. 2 behind One Thing at a Time by Morgan Wallen. That project opened with the largest debut of 2025 just a week ago, and it holds firm this time around. SOS has now lived on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums tally for 129 weeks, but even that total is far from what has been accumulated by SZA's only other complete project, Ctrl. This time around, that full-length jumps to No. 9, as it reaches 325 stays somewhere on the roster.
