"Adopted Son" among Best Asian Films produced since 1996 according to the Busan festival's survey 

Best Asian Films among the Films Produced since 1996. Asian Cinema 100 is a representative initiative that revisits the history of Asian cinema and systematically highlights its cinematic legacy.

Based on surveys conducted with filmmakers, critics, and scholars worldwide, it offers a broad perspective on the aesthetics and historical development of Asian cinema.

In this year’s survey, 161 participants from 34 countries—including directors, producers, actors, critics, researchers, and film festival programmers—took part, resulting in the selection of 118 films (including tied titles).

To celebrate this achievement, BIFF presents the special program Defining Moments of Asian Cinema, featuring master filmmakers whose works have shaped the history of Asian cinema and spotlighting their representative films.

The Adopted Son (Beshkempir)

Country Kyrgyzstan, France / Production Year 1998 / Running Time 81min / Format 35 mm / Color COLOR / B&W

Credit:

Director- Aktan Abdykalykov

Producers - Irizbal Alibaev, Cedomir Kolar, Marc Bashet, Frederique Dumas

Cast - Mirlan Abdykalykov

Screenplay - Aktak Abdykalykov, Avtandil Adikuliv, Marat Sarulu

Cinematography - Hassan Kidiraliev

Production Design - Emil Tilevov

Editor - Tiek Mambetova

Music - Nurlan Nishanov

World Sales - Celluloid Dreams

The film starts with an adoption ceremony presided over by five old women (Beshkempir literally means "five grandmothers"), in a village in Kyrgyzstan. The movie then flashes forward a decade or so to show the coming of age of the adopted child - Beshkempir. He is shown indulging in childhood pranks and activities with friends in a rural setting, like stealing honey from beehives and going to watch screened Hindi movies. However, approaching adolescence leads the boys to spy on a village woman's breasts, make clay models of the female form and pretend to make love and eye girls. Beshkempir is even shown as the message carrier between an older boy and his girlfriend.

Rivalry over a girl Aynura leads to Beshkempir's friend divulging the fact of his adoption to Beshkempir by calling Beshkempir a foundling, who had been unaware of his roots till then. Even though his grandmother denies the story, Beshkempir is upset, and this leads to numerous scuffles with his friend. Hostility is also shown between Beshkempir's adoptive mother and his friend's mother on numerous occasions, culminating in the friend's mother coming to Beshkempir's house to complain about Beshkempir beating up his son.

Beshkempir's adoptive father beats Beshkempir over the incident, who runs away and joins a fisherman. Meanwhile, Beshkempir's grandmother dies and asks that Beshkempir be told the truth in her will. Beshkempir is located and brought home, and is reconciled with adoptive family and friends. The funeral ceremony shows Beshkempir suddenly growing up by giving the customary speech at the funeral where he pledges to repay his grandmother's debts (if any) and to forgo any outstanding debts to his grandmother. The film ends with Beshkempir courting Aynura and a brief shot of an engagement ceremony.