Ayka

2018 1h 40m RU

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 69

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A young Kyrgyz immigrant tries to eke out a living in Moscow after abandoning her newborn and fleeing the hospital.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Cast

Samal Yeslyamova
Ayka
Dzhipargul Abdilova
Chinara
David Alaverdyan
Hamlet
Cholponay Borubaeva
Fatima
Nurzhan Kunnazarova
Roza
Sergey Mazur
veterinarian
Azamat Satimbaev
creditor
Askhat Kuchencherekov
Hussein

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Sergei Dvortsevoy
Writers: Gennadiy Ostrovskiy, Sergei Dvortsevoy
Languages: Kazakh, Kirghiz, Russian
Countries: China, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Poland, Russia

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 8 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Kazakh, Kirghiz, Russian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 6 countries: China, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Poland, Russia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Sergei Dvortsevoy, shot by Jolanta Dylewska. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Petar Marković shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Samal Yeslyamova and Dzhipargul Abdilova and David Alaverdyan carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt8305116 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 69 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Sergei Dvortsevoy directs. Jolanta Dylewska behind the camera. Petar Marković cuts. Produced in China, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Poland, Russia. Dialogue in Kazakh, Kirghiz, Russian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 8 years ago.
2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Kazakh, Kirghiz, Russian.
3International production across 6 countries: China, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Poland, Russia.
4Directed by Sergei Dvortsevoy, shot by Jolanta Dylewska. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor Petar Marković shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Samal Yeslyamova and Dzhipargul Abdilova and David Alaverdyan carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt8305116 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 69 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Jolanta Dylewska
Editing: Petar Marković
Production design: Olga Yurasova
Costume design: Olga Yurasova
Sound: Joanna Napieralska
Runtime: 100 min · 1h 40m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: RU
Certification (US): 12
IMDB: Ayka (2018)

Awards

Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Sergei Dvortsevoy

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

badelf2022-08-02
★ 7/10
This film really grips you. I couldn't stop thinking about the plight of so many people in the world. Sergei Dvortsevoy paints a harsh picture of the reality of economic slavery. It may only be palatable for us solely because the setting is so far removed from the western world. The truth is there are untold hundreds of thousands economic slaves in the United States and other western, supposedly enlightened countries. The low budget, hand-held camera gets a little annoying at times, but never distracts from the story.

Production companies