Nomad (2005 film)

Nomad
File:Nomad - The Warrior Poster.png Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Sergei Bodrov Ivan Passer Talgat Temenov
Produced by	Ram Bergman Pavel Douvidzon Rustam Ibragimbekov Miloš Forman
Written by	Rustam Ibragimbekov
Starring	Jay Hernandez Dilnaz Akhmadieva Kuno Becker Mark Dacascos Jason Scott Lee
Music by	Carlo Siliotto
Cinematography	Dan Laustsen Ueli Steiger
Edited by	Ivan Lebedev Rick Shaine
Distributed by	The Weinstein Company
Release dates	July 17, 2005 (2005-07-17) (Kazakhstan) September 7, 2006 (2006-09-07) (Russia)
Running time	112 minutes
Country	Kazakhstan Russia
Language	Russian Kazakh
Budget	$40 million
Box office	$3,088,685

Nomad: The Warrior (Kazakh: Көшпенділер, Köşpendiler) is a 2005 Kazakh historical epic film written and co-produced by Rustam Ibragimbekov, executive-produced by Miloš Forman and directed by Sergei Bodrov, Ivan Passer and Talgat Temenov. It was released on March 16, 2007 in North America, distributed by The Weinstein Company. The film has been shot in two versions: in Kazakh by Temenov for distribution in Kazakhstan and in English by Passer and Bodrov for distribution worldwide. The government of Kazakhstan invested $40 million in the movie production, making it the most expensive Kazakh film ever made. Nomad was Kazakhstan's official entry for Best Foreign Language Film for the 79th Academy Awards.

Plot

File:BillboardAdNomad2005.jpg

Advertising for the 11 November 2005 national premier of the Kazakh version in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Nomad is an historical epic set in 18th-century Kazakhstan. The film is a fictionalized account of the youth and coming-of-age of Ablai Khan, a descendant of Genghis Khan, as he grows and fights to defend the fortress at Hazrat-e Turkestan from Dzungar invaders.

Cast

• Jay Hernandez as Yearly [sic]
• Dilnaz Akhmadieva as Hocha
• Kuno Becker as Mansur
• Azis Beyshinaliev as Ragbat
• Mark Dacascos as Sharish
• Archie Kao as Shangrek
• Jason Scott Lee as Oraz
• Ayan Yesmagambetova as Gaukhar
• Tungyshbay Jamanqulov as Abilqair
• Doskhan Joljaqsynov as Galdan Ceren
• Yerik Joljaqsynov as Barak

Release dates

The Kazakh language version of Nomad premiered in Kazakhstan on 6 July 2005.

The film was released in the United States on March 16, 2007 (limited release) and March 30, 2007 (wide release).

І том “Алмас қылыш” (баспа “Шығыс-Батыс”, София, 2006)

ІІ том “Жанталас” (баспа “Шығыс-Батыс”, София, 2007)

ІІІ том “Хан Кене” (баспа “Шығыс-Батыс”, София, 2008)

Reception

Variety critic Leslie Felperin, who viewed the film at the Locarno Film Festival wrote that, "nearly every tenge (Kazakhstan's local currency) and euro from French-based co-production partner Wild Bunch is visible on screen, judging by pic's elaborate costumes, sets and cast of a thousand or so — real people not digitally generated extras", and that co-directors "Passer and Bodrov, assisted by (per credits) 'local director' Talgat Temenov, have enough skill to make Nomad compelling by dint of old-school sincerity and sheer spectacle. [...] [the cast shows] the necessary displays of athletic prowess and toothsome looks, particularly from the virile Becker".

In the United States, it was a box office bomb, as the film was only able to scrape $79,123. While most of the critics enjoyed the cinematography and the action scenes, they criticized the film for rudimentary acting, confused directing and, for some critics who saw the English version, poor dubbing. The critics especially noted that the film had very poor screenwriting, for lines such as a scene between Mansur (Kuno Becker) and Gauhar (Ayan Yesmagambetova): 'Mansur: You have the scent of the moon', Gauhar: 'Does the moon have a scent?'.

Awards and nominations

In addition to being Kazakhstan's entry in the race for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Carlo Siliotto received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Original Score.

See also

• List of most expensive non-English language films
• List of historical drama films of Asia
• Ten Great Campaigns
• Zunghar Khanate

External links

• Nomad at AllMovie
• Nomad at Rotten Tomatoes
• Nomad at IMDb
• Universcinema.com (French)
• OutNow! Movie Review (German)