Press Release 1 October, 2024
For more than 30 years, diplomatic relations have linked Germany and the Central Asian states of Ka-zakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. ‘FUTURE NOW – Central Asia’ is a music and film festival that aims to present various artistic perspectives from these five countries to a German audience this November. Young musicians from Germany and the five Central Asian countries will come together in an academy lasting several days. They will present their respective national contributions, listen to each other and compose the transitions between the national musical contributions as a collec-tive. Using classical and traditional instruments, they will create musical links between historical and contemporary references. The festival opening on 12 November at the Berlin Philharmonic (Chamber Music Hall) will mark the premiere of the German-Central Asian concert. The concert will be followed by five feature films on 13 and 14 November and 18, 19 and 20 November at delphi LUX (Yorck Cinemas), which will make traditions and cultural practices accessible to Berlin audiences through the lens of young filmmakers. Tickets for all events go on sale on 7 October.
For the musical part of the festival, young musicians from the five Central Asian states and Germany will explore the question of how natural elements such as wood, air, fire, earth, metal and water can be ex-pressed musically from their national perspective, compose and combine the individual contributions and present the results at the opening concert of FUTURE NOW on 12 November in the Berlin Philharmonic (Chamber Music Hall).
A central component of FUTURE NOW is the musical academy, where the young musicians can rely on the expert support of Mathias Hinke, composer and music mediator, who has also been part of the artistic management duo of the Young Euro Classic youth orchestra festival since 2024. Six trios – one from each Central Asian state and one from Germany – will come together to work on the transitions between tradi-tional and contemporary works from their home countries. The Kazakh music tradition Kuy, contemporary works by young Tajik composers, the sounds of Kyrgyz national instruments and other surprising elements merge into an impressive musical whole. Cultural characteristics and subtleties are revealed and serve as a basis for a broader exchange across music.
A film series with feature films from the participating Central Asian countries provides insights into current social issues. All films pose compelling questions about the relationship between past, present and future.
The Kazakh film Bauryna Salu is about the nomadic tradition of the same name and tells the story of a pro-tagonist who grows up with his grandmother and returns to his estranged family after her death. The pain-ful coming-of-age film questions the timeliness of this practice. The film was suggested for the Oscars in the ‘Best International Film’ category.
Seite 2 von 3
In Istarin Inslisce (Turkmenistan), a teacher literally immerses himself and his class in the world of the poet Mahtumkuli Firakis, in which the history of and stories about the 18th century intermingle.
Shambala (Kyrgyzstan) also deals with the blending of reality and fiction. The seven-year-old protagonist grows up surrounded by legends and myths of his home in the mountains, which are disregarded as mean-ingless by the adult characters.
The Tajik film Fortune shows the friendship between Kahhor and Mannon, which ultimately falls apart due to the difficult and seemingly hopeless conditions under Soviet occupation.
Sunday from Uzbekistan tells the story of an old married couple who are left behind by the modern world and whose way of life will be lost in the future.
The film screenings will be accompanied by short discussion rounds with representatives of the films and young German filmmakers.
Programme overview
Films as original versions with English subtitles
Tuesday, 12 November
8 p.m., Berlin Philharmonic (Chamber Music Hall)
Concert with six trios from Central Asia and Germany, presenting traditional and contemporary works as well as their own compositions.
Wednesday, 13 November
8 p.m., delphi LUX
Bauryna Salu (2023, Kazakhstan), directed by Askhat Kuchinchirekov. Followed by a talk with the filmmak-ers.
Thursday, 14 November
8 p.m., delphi LUX
Istarin Inslisce (2022, Turkmenistan), directed by Arslan Eyeberdiyew. A talk with one of the actors will be part of the event.
Monday, 18 November
8 p.m., delphi LUX
Shambala (2021, Kyrgyzstan), directed by Artykpai Suyundukov. Followed by a talk with the filmmakers.
Tuesday, 19 November
8 p.m., delphi LUX
Fortune (2022, Tajikistan), directed by Muhiddin Muzaffar. Followed by a discussion with the director.
Wednesday, 20 November
8 p.m., delphi LUX
Sunday (2023, Uzbekistan), directed by Shokir Kholikov. Followed by a talk with the leading actor Abdu-rakhman Yusuvaliyev.
Adresses of the venues
Berlin Philharmonic Herbert-von-Karajan-Straße 1, 10785 Berlin
delphi LUX Kantstraße 10 / Yva-Bogen, 10623 Berlin
FUTURE NOW – Central Asia. Central Asian music and film festival.
12 to 20 November, 2024 at the Berlin Philharmonic und delphi LUX.
The complete festival programme will be available from 7 October at: www.futurenow.berlin
Price categories concert: 26 € / 20 € / 14 € (plus advance ticketing fees)
Price categories film: 11 € / 10 € discounted
Tickets for all events can be purchased via the FUTURE NOW website, www.futurenow.berlin
Film tickets can also be purchased via the website of the Yorck cinemas, www.yorck.de.
Tickets for the concert can be obtained via the Ticketmaster website as well as the ticket hotline (+49 / (0)30 / 8410 8909, available Monday–Sunday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and at all regular ticket sales points.
Organiser
FUTURE NOW – Central Asia is a music and film festival that focuses on the diverse cultural traditions of Central Asia and how they have changed over time. It is planned and organised by Dr. Gabriele Minz GmbH in cooperation with Young Euro Classic. This platform for cultural exchange is sponsored by the Federal For-eign Office.
MEDIA RELATIONS
ARTEFAKT Kulturkonzepte
Alexander Flöth & Elisabeth Friedrich
Marienburger Str. 16, 10405 Berlin
mail@artefakt-berlin.de
Tel.: 030 440 10 688 /-687
Fax: 030 440 10 684