Fragment from The Hope of the Last Teacher: “Have you read Evening Bishkek?”—the zealous defender of the Russian language and retired literature teacher Talip does not give the director a school on Lake Issyk-Kul a break even to go to the toilet. He wants to make the head-teacher aware that the pain of losing the subject in the curriculum is not only his, Talip’s; the popular newspaper of the capital also voices its distress: “Already 70 per cent of the population speak no Russian,” and Talip adds: “and next year it’ll be 100 per cent.” (Shakir 2013)

The Muscovite Elizaveta Stishova, a graduate from the Higher Courses for Scriptwriters and Directors, has made a short film with an original idea, accomplished in form, and ideally performed: The Seagull. It deals with the current status of Russian in Kyrgyzstan.

Please open: Elizaveta Stishova: The Seagull (Chaika, 2013) reviewed by Gulbara Tolomushova © 2013 

Translated by Birgit Beumers