Pacany

The reality of the time and the rising desire for protest felt by the younger generations could hardly be contained by the beginning of the 80s. As censorship receded, an unvarnished realism gradually made its way into state cinema production. PACANY by Kyrgyz director Dinara Asanova, who made all her features at the Lenfilm-Studios in Leningrad, begins with what seems like documentary footage of young people being asked questions such as “Could you hit someone?” or “What is goodness?”. Afterwards, the film tells the story of a 15-year-old who has committed a crime and finds himself in a reeducation facility headed by a young, idealistic educator. Asanova’s film is characterized by an sincere interest in its protagonists. (nf/gv)