The Light Thief

With a focus on the clash between tradition and modernity Kyrgyzstani writer and director Aktan Arym Kubat stars in this wry, yet illuminating story of an altruistic electrician who siphons off electricity to help the disadvantaged families in his rural community. The 2011 film takes place in a small village in 2005, during the tumultuous period of the Tulip Revolution. Whilst the film’s political message is clear, it never feels overstated, with Kubat’s focus on the cadence of everyday life painting a charming portrait of rural Kyrgyzstani life that presents both the hardships and modest pleasures of life in post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan.