In today's Kazakhstan, 17-year-old Mila can no longer bear the chaos of her family life. When she discovers an open-water swimming team led by the enigmatic Vlad, she joins, drawn by the promise of structure and belonging. But when her place is threatened, her fear of losing it starts to grow, and Mila must soon decide how far she's willing to go to preserve the fragile balance she's built.
Zhannat Alshanova is a writer, director, and producer based between Almaty (Kazakhstan) and London (UK). She is drawn to stories of people in flux—caught between cultures, identities, and shifting narratives. Her short films have screened at top-tier festivals including Cannes Cinéfondation (End of Season, 2018), Sundance (Paola Makes a Wish, 2019), and TIFF (History of Civilization, 2020), which won Locarno’s Pardi di Domani award. Zhannat is an alumna of Berlinale Talents, TIFF Filmmakers Lab, and Locarno’s Directing Workshop (mentored by Béla Tarr). She She also runs Accidental Films, an independent company focused on emotionally driven, visually bold cinema.
Luminalia Films
