BALABAN

On the verge of adulthood, Ardak, a reserved sixteen-yearold schoolgirl was diagnosed with HIV as a child. She lives a sheltered life with her mother in a plush house in the city of Almaty, Kazakhstan, known for its dramatic mountains and vast plains. Ardak dreams of moving to Paris and becoming the next big thing in fashion. It’s a chance meeting with an adventurous teen, Zhanna, at a local charity for HIV adolescents that puts her plans into motion. Forging a plan to steal a prized falcon from Zhanna’s cousin, to finance their trip, proves to be the ultimate test of their relationship.

“The coming-of-age drama is inspired by true events in 2006, when one hundred and sixty infants were infected with HIV as a result of tainted blood transfusions, administered in four public hospitals in the country.” –Deadline.com

DIRECTOR
Aysulu Onarani