Montréal Film Festival Adds Addt’l Screening of Kurmanjan Datka Queen of the Mountains

By Popular Demand, Sell out Crowds, Standing Ovations and Rave Reviews Montréal Film Festival Adds Addt’l Screening of Kurmanjan Datka Queen of the Mountains

(LOS ANGELES)  Aug 28, 2014 - The World Premiere of Kurmanjan Datka Queen of the Mountains opened to standing ovations, rave reviews and consistently sold-out crowds.  Now by popular demand, the Montréal World Film Festival has added an additional special screening.  Called “Riveting Intensity,” and “Haunting Poetic Piece” by the Montreal Gazette, the added showing will be held on Monday Sept 1st at 3:30pm at Cinema Cineplex Odeon Quartier Latin -  350 Rue Emery, Montreal.

Named One of the Best of the World Film Festival by Cult Montreal, Kurmanjan Datka Queen of the Mountains is the relevant epic story of the noblewoman, Kurmanjan,  who is revered to this day for her diplomacy for saving her nation from complete destruction when Russian imperial forces conquered the Central Asian country in the 1870s.  

At $1.5M budget it’s the most expensive film ever made in Kyrgyzstan, but it looks like it cost at least 20 times that” - Brendan Kelly, Montreal Gazette

“It’s about an exceptionally strong woman who manages to survive — and thrive — in a man’s world. “It’s a great honour to show this character as a very strong woman,” said Elina Abai Kyzy, who portrays Kurmanjan Datka as a young woman, and was present at the festival.  She was admired for her modern Kyrgyz fashion and authentic Kyrgyzstan costume worn at the press conference and world premiere.

Selected by the festival in Focus on World Cinema category, the film, in the local language of Kyrgyz with English subtitles, was written by Sadyk Sher-Niyaz and marked his feature directorial debut.  The film is, indeed, about the importance of fighting for independence. “We have to always understand the price of independence,” Sher-Niyaz told the Montreal Gazette. “We should not take it for granted.”

Le Devoir said, “He should be nominated for an Oscar for best foreign language film...filled with beautiful costumes and scenery to match and has a magnitude.”

The Hollywood Reporter says the film is  “filled with spectacular locations, lavish costumes, bloody battle scenes and dramatic turns.”

“Kyrgyzstan's biggest ever blockbuster hits cinemas amid patriotism push”- The Guardian

View official trailer:  

Website: http://www.kurmanjan.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kurmanjan-Datka/593463467337568?ref=ts&fref=ts