Astana, Kazakhstan, Nov 12 (EFE).— La tregua (The Truce), a film about two Spaniards with opposing ideologies struggling to survive in a Soviet gulag on the Kazakh steppe, premiered Wednesday in the capital of Kazakhstan to strong local interest.
Local producer Yerlan Bekjozhin told EFE the story “moved many people, especially young viewers,” whose reactions during the screening he described as “very valuable for us.” The premiere was organized by the Spanish Embassy in Astana.
From Spain to Kazakhstan — and Netflix next
The film was previously shown at the 73rd San Sebastián International Film Festival and later released in Spain. Following its Kazakhstan debut, La tregua will also be available on Netflix, reaching global audiences.
Bekjozhin said it was essential for young people to know this history, noting that for decades “the relevant materials were classified.” Only after the collapse of the Soviet Union and Kazakhstan’s independence could these stories be openly told, he added.
Despite the midweek premiere, many Kazakhs attended the event and left the theater visibly moved.
“I’m very impressed. It’s a deeply powerful story. I knew nothing about this before,” said a young Kazakh student.
Remembering shared history through film
Antonio, a Spaniard living in Kazakhstan, said it was “very emotional” to see the film and learn about fellow Spaniards who ended up there after the Spanish Civil War.
Directed by Miguel Ángel Vivas, the movie tells the story of two Spaniards from opposite sides of the conflict who find themselves in the Karlag labor camp in Karaganda, one of the largest gulags in the Soviet Union, which imprisoned hundreds of thousands of people from around the world between 1937 and 1959.
They eventually befriend a Kazakh intellectual, portrayed by Farabi Akkozov, an actor based in Spain, despite the brutal and dehumanizing conditions of the camp.
Humanity amid brutality
Amid the cold, violence, and mutual hatred, the two Spaniards agree to a “truce” to help one another survive.
Many in the audience left the theater in tears. “An overwhelming story,” said one woman after the two-and-a-half-hour screening. EFE