La Reine des montagnes

With stunning applicability today, this film portrays a freedom- loving people and their amazing leader struggling nobly to survive Russian imperialism in the late 1800s. But that is not the primary reason for American audiences to appreciate this movie. Skillfully produced entirely in Kyrgyzstan by Kyrgyz filmmakers, it is a powerful, fascinating, gorgeous, and inspiring historical epic about an extraordinary woman—Kurmanjan Datka, Queen of the Mountains—who led the nomadic Kyrgyz people for decades with remarkable wisdom, character, and strength in the midst of great national and personal challenges. The story offers a deeply cultural and transcendently moving experience to every viewer of any nationality. As a leader, Kurmanjan Datka succeeded in ways unmatched by other Kyrgyz rulers, yet the problematic influences and results of her era in history leave the Kyrgyz people still seeking consistent foundational principles for peace, stability, unity, prosperity, and true freedom. This film brilliantly highlights both the leadership qualities and the unresolved questions that remain important to Kyrgyz people, and instructive to Americans, even today.

As the title suggests Mother of Kyrgyzstan, that's who Kurmanjan Datka exactly is. She sacrificed the life of her son for the freedom of our nation and our people. Without a doubt this is the best historic movie from Kyrgyzstan. The cast and the crew were perfect for this movie, every one of them did an outstanding job at their role. The costume design was historically accurate and most of all the scene, the mountains, the horses (pure Kyrgyz horses) all the props left me speechless. Overall this movie most definitely deserves an Oscar and I'm confident that it will get an Oscar. Even if it doesn't get an Oscar, it will remain one of the best movies of all time from Kyrgyzstan.

It's a great historical film able to shake one emotionally. It can take you back in the times giving a neat introduction to Kyrgyz culture, history and old traditions. With this film you can imagine daily lives of Central Asian people in the past. It also presents historical events, dynamics of internal relations between Kyrgyz people before they had to join Russian empire. Actors played strongly non- verbally. Especially, it is strong when Kurmanjan decides not to save her son's life from death penalty for the sake of the whole nation. She communicates this to her son just by looking at him. Her son reads this in his mother's eyes and expresses different emotions: first shows the fear of death, and then sadness which then transforms to obedience and then strength before the death. This story has a value for new generations. A woman rises as a leader in a men-dominated place and time and has been able to unite her people and prevent war.

I was lucky to be on the premier of this movie in LA. Absolutely worth to be nominated for Best foreign movie for upcoming 87's Oscar. Director of Kurmandjan Datka is a man with vision, there is no doubt that this picture will get nominated and be awarded for best foreign movie in 2015. This movie is based on real story that happened centuries ago in Kyrgyzstan, country of nomad people that got settled in Central Asia. This movie helps to educate young generation of Kyrgyz people to get familiar with their history. Director, Sher-Niyaz contributed a lot to the country of Kyrgyz people where he developed a great platform in movie- making business, as it has grown tremendously in the past 5 years and brought up enormous attention of mass media from all over the world. The biggest movie project that ever occurred in history of Kyrgyzstan, people from all over the world bless this movie, critics are foreseeing good results and director is working really hard to push this movie into Oscar.

Since my childhood my father has always told me interesting and true stories about our "Kyrgyz" nationality, and especially about my ancestors Alymbek Datka and his wife Kurmanjan Datka who really made a contribution in saving lives of people in Alai(south part of Kyrgyz Republic) I m really thankful for this film, no regrets that I went n watch it.It was not easy for me to watch it, difficult moments in their life:( very sad moments.this a true story. The actors played great! The beautiful nature which is shown in the film is the reality of our country. You did a great job!!! I am really proud of my grandfather and grandmother, who really thought about the future of our nation and made everything possible to protect them. I wish this is the beginning of success of Kyrgyz cinema.