Serik Aprimov

Graduated from Almaty technical college in 1979. Following the military service, he took up film studies in directing at the Moscow's prestigious Film School (VGIK). He was one of the young Kazakh talents who was chosen to attend the workshop of well-known Russian director Sergei Solovyov in 1989. The group went on to establish the "new wave" of Kazakh cinema.

Aprymov made his first full feature film "Last Stop" at the age of 28. It received international acclaim but angered the natives of his village, who were shocked at his portrayal of their real lives. Aprymov's second film The Hypnotist was never released. The film Aksuat (1998) revealed again his keen eye for realistic detail and was successful at the 1998 Eurasia Film Festival in Almaty (Kazakhstan), after which it was screened at the 1999 International Berlin Film Festival. The film won Audience Award at Nantes Three Continents Film Festival 1999 in France. In 1999 he directs Three Brothers - this poignant tale about the gulf between childhood fantasy and stark reality. The film was screened at the 2000 International Berlin Film Festival. It was awarded at Tokyo International Film Festival 2000. The film won Holden Award for the Best Script, Jury Special Prize at the International Feature Film Competition, and was nominated for Prize of the City of Torino Best Film - International Feature Film. Returning to the familiar theme of village life, Serik Aprymov offers a beautifully rendered Kazakh interpretation of the classic coming-of-age film in The Hunter (2004). In 2003 the film participated in Cannes Film Festival 2003 in Camera d'Or Special Mention program.