Sunshine (Solnechniye Dni)

A JSC Kazakhfilm within the Title of Shaken Aimanov presentation, in colaboration with the Culture and knowledge Secretary of state for the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kadam Studio, Hubert Bals Fund, Film Festival Locarno Open Doorways Selection, Visions Sud-Est. (Worldwide sales: JSC Kazakhfilm, Almaty, Kazakhstan.) Created by Limara Zheksembaeva. Directed, compiled by Nariman Turebaev.With: Erlan Utepbergenov, Inkar Abdrash, Asel Kalieva, Dmitri Skirta, Gulzhan Kalibaeva, Yuri Radin. (Russian, Kazak dialogue)A youthful man's misfortune will get progressively worse within the ironically entitled "Sunshine,Inch Kazak author-helmer Nariman Turebaev's sometimes droll, from time to time sad but ultimately disappointing follow-as much as his debut feature, "Little Males." Reminiscent in numerous methods for Aki Kaurismaki's films, pic ultimately serves as one example of such a tough act Kaurismaki would be to follow, particularly if you are shooting on digital and lack his gifts like a storyteller and builder. Still, partially because of its European arthouse flavor, "SunshineInch must see some light at further fests. Pic's nameless protagonist (handsome but resolutely deadpan Erlan Utepbergenov) is lower to his last couple of tenges plus some change, and will also be kicked out from his crummy apartment if he does not develop the rent through the finish each week. He tries various schemes to boost gold coin (taxi driving, selling his possessions in the pub), but everything finishes disastrously. Despite its depressing trajectory, pic has wry moments of humor, and helps make the Kazakh capital look positively romantic using its melancholy bars, wide roads and thin winter light, however the script lacks sufficient dimensionality to provide the correct punch.Camera (color), Boris Troshev editor, Aizhan Bisimbinova music, Anuar Baimuratov production designer, Aleksei Filimonov. Examined at Locarno Film Festival (Cinema from the Present), August. 10, 2011.Running time: 101 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com