About the author
Film director, playwright, writer, publicist. Distinguished Figure of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The most awarded director in the country today. Officially recognized by the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) as one of the five best directors in Asia, with over 70 countries participating in the selection.
Ermek was the only one from Kazakhstan who was nominated for an Oscar three times and made it to the shortlist of the American Academy. He was nominated for the Asian Oscar twice (Australia, Brisbane). Foreign experts consider him a brand of the modern Asian film industry.
With more than twenty international awards and prizes to his name, Ermek has been recognized at film festivals throughout Europe, Asia, and the Middle East — including in Italy, Greece, France, Monaco, Spain, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Turkey, Iran, Israel, Hong Kong, South Korea, China, and many others.
A two-time recipient of Kazakhstan’s National Film Award, Kulager, Ermek has also earned multiple nominations and wins at major film festivals across the CIS, including Kinoshock (Sochi), Dark Nights (Tallinn), Vmeste (Yalta), Nika (Moscow), and others.
Vmeste Grand Prix Film Festival, Yalta – “Best Film”, “Best Director”. Monaco Charity Film Festival – “Grand Prix”. The film was screened at film festivals in Tokyo (Japan), Shanghai (China), Toronto (Canada), Taormina (Italy), Reykjavik (Iceland), Haifa (Israel), Busan (Korea), Bursa (Turkey), Palm Springs (USA), Copenhagen (Denmark), Freistadt (Austria), Ankara (Turkey), etc.
Ermek’s film Shal (The Old Man) was named “Film of the Year” at the XIII Choice of the Year Festival. It was also selected for the main competition programs at prestigious film festivals in Beijing, Cologne, Vancouver, Vienna, Moscow, Warsaw, Oslo, Helsinki, and others. Ermek is a frequent winner of online public voting in categories, such as: “Choice of the Year,” “Name of the Motherland,” and “Cinema Authority”.
He is recognized as both a writer and a translator, known for his translations of classic works from Kazakh literature. His translated works include those by renowned authors such as Magzhan Zhumabayev, Shakarim, Akhmet Baitursynov, Zhusupbek Aimautov, Merzhakyp Dulatov, and others. He has also translated works by contemporary Kazakh writers, including Sain Muratbekov, Seidakhmet Berdikulov, Mukhtar Shakhanov, Bakkozhye Mukai, Akim Tarazi, Ulykbek Esdauletov, and many more.
Here is what the country's leading art critics wrote about Tursunov:
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Ermek Tursunov’s Nominations & Awards:
- Tursunov’s Kelin was honored with two prestigious awards at the 2009 Kulager National Film Awards: “Best Feature Film of the Year” and “Best Director of the Year”. At the Vmeste Grand Prix Film Festival in Yalta, the film won “Best Film” and “Best Director”, and took home the “Grand Prix” at the Monaco Charity Film Festival. The film was showcased at major international festivals, including Toronto (Canada), Taormina (Italy), Reykjavik (Iceland), Haifa (Israel), Busan (South Korea), Bursa (Turkey), Palm Springs (USA), Copenhagen (Denmark), Freistadt (Austria), Ankara (Turkey), and more. At the XIII Choice of the Year Festival, Shal was named “Film of the Year” and competed in the main competitions at prestigious festivals in Beijing, Cologne, Vancouver, Vienna, Moscow, Warsaw, Oslo, Helsinki, and others.
- “Best Screenplay” Award for Kurak Korpe at the Kinoshock Film Festival (Russia) in 2007.
- Winner of the Kulager National Prize (Kazakhstan) for “Best Film of the Year” for Shal (2012).
- “Grand Prix” at the Kinoshock Film Festival (Sochi) for Shal (2013) and “Best Actor” Award (E. Toguzakov).
- “Best Film” of the CIS and Baltic States at the Nika Awards for Shal (2014).
- Shal, from Kazakhstan, was nominated for an Oscar Award in 2013.
- Zhat, from Kazakhstan, was nominated for an Oscar Award in 2015.
- Shyrakshy had its world premiere in Shanghai, becoming the first Kazakh film ever screened at the festival. It received the “Best Camera Work” (Martin Sechanov) at the Kinoshock Film Festival and a “Special Jury Prize” awarded to actor M. Mukazhanov “for creating a poetic portrayal of a devoted servant of cinema.” The film also won the “Grand Prix” at the International Film Festival in Sochi and was featured at international festivals in Hong Kong, Los Angeles, and others.
- Two-times nominee for the ‘Asian Oscar’ (Asia Pacific Screen Awards, Australia, Brisbane) in the “Directing Achievement” Award category for Zhat.
- The film Zhat received the NETPAC Award at the 19th Black Nights Film Festival in Tallinn.
Filmography:
Kelin
(2008)
Shal
(2012)
Kempir
(2014)
Kenzhe
(2015)
Zhat
(2015)
Shyrakshy
(2019)
Besmoinak
(2022)
Films based on scripts by Ermek Tursunov:
director Viktor Pusurmanov
(1993)
director Rustem Abdrashev
(2007)
director Erken Ialgashev
(2007)
director Satybaldy Narymbetov
(2008)
director Rustem Abdrashev (with the participation of Ermek Tursunov)
(2008)
together with Sergei Bodrov and Gulshad Omarova
(2008)
director Khuat Akhmetov
(2009)
director Aisultan Seitov (with the participation of Ermek Tursunov)
(2022)
Ermek Tursunov's books:
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