Nurzhamal Karamoldoeva's Debut Feature Film Selected for 61st Chicago International Film Festival
October 2, 2025
Nurzhamal Karamoldoeva, a director, documentary filmmaker and professor at TCMA AUCA, has had her debut feature film, "Only Heaven Knows," selected for the competitive program of the 61st Chicago International Film Festival (Chicago International Film Festival). This prestigious event is one of the oldest and most significant film festivals in North America.
About the Film
Set in Chicago’s Kyrgyz community, this tense drama follows a Kyrgyz family thrown into turmoil as they try to find their footing in the U.S. Eric, the prodigal son, is a working truck driver trying to save enough money to buy a house for his wife Mira and his mother. This plan is complicated, though, when his mounting gambling debts begin to catch up with him. Suddenly left to her own devices, Mira is forced to navigate a maze of immigration appointments, interpersonal strife, and suspicion.
Approach and Uniqueness
The film's screenplay is based on the real-life stories of Kyrgyz migrants. Numerous interviews were conducted with members of the diaspora to ensure the film's maximum authenticity and realism.
The cast consists of non-professional actors from the Kyrgyz and Central Asian diaspora. Filming took place in real locations provided by the community, including operating restaurants, clinics, beauty salons, a trucking company, and apartments where our compatriots live. The film crew included both Kyrgyz and American filmmakers, highlighting the project's international nature and cultural significance. The crew expresses immense gratitude to the diaspora for their invaluable help and support.
About the Director
Nurzhamal Karamoldoeva is a renowned documentary filmmaker and a professor at the AUCA Department of Television, Cinema and Media Arts. Her work has always been distinguished by a deep social subtext and a commitment to showing reality without embellishment. This debut feature marks a significant step for her into the world of fiction filmmaking, where she was able to apply her documentary approach to create a powerful and truthful narrative.
Starring:
● Mira - Malika Kanatova
● Eric - Dauren Tashkenbaev
● Aigul - Elmira Myrza
Key Crew:
● Director and Executive Producer: Nurzhamal Karamoldoeva
● Producer: Aziza Khalbekova
● Screenwriters: Gulzhan Toktogul and Jeff Man
● Director of Photography: Mitchell Arens
● Editor: Ulukmyrza Ravshanbekov
● Composer: Ulan Moldousupov
About the Chicago International Film Festival
Founded in 1964, the Chicago International Film Festival is the oldest competitive film festival in North America. Each year, it presents a wide range of films, from independent to high-budget productions and serves as an important platform for world cinema. Participation in this festival is a significant achievement for any director and their film.
