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Tulpan

Play trailer Poster for Tulpan Released Apr 1, 2009 1h 40m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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96% Tomatometer 71 Reviews 70% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Asa (Askhat Kuchinchirekov), recently released from military service, travels to the Kazakh steppes. He moves in with his sister (Samal Esljamova), her husband (Ondas Besikbasov) and their children in a small village in the dry plains. Asa dreams of becoming a shepherd, but first he needs to find a wife. The only woman available is Tulpan (Tolepbergen Baisakalov), who is initially turned off by the awkward Asa. Their relationship will determine the rest of Asa's life.
Tulpan

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Kazakh sheep herders get their cinematic due in this lovely, unsentimental debut from director Sergei Dvortsevoy.

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Critics Reviews

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Chris Chang Film Comment Magazine But in addition to the brutality of Tulpan's environment, and its merciless impress on the inhabitants, the film succeeds foremost, most surprisingly, as comedy. The trials and tribulations of Asa are worthy of Samuel Beckett. Jun 17, 2013 Full Review Ben Kenigsberg Time Out Rated: 4/5 Nov 17, 2011 Full Review Mark Peranson Globe and Mail Rated: 3.5/4 Sep 14, 2010 Full Review Yasser Medina Cinefilia I can't deny the fact that I'm pleasantly surprised by watching 'Tulpan', the comedy-drama by Kazakh director Sergey Dvortsevoy. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 7/10 Aug 7, 2020 Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row Beautifully filmed and exquisitely crafted, Tulpan succeeds in its own modest and unassuming way. Rated: 3/4 Jul 7, 2019 Full Review Eric Hynes Stop Smiling From beginning to end, horizon to horizon, Dvortsevoy's film is simply a privilege to watch. Aug 23, 2017 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (134) audience reviews
Irene M quite immersive look into the day in the life. really makes one ponder what one's life might be like if one was born in another place. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/29/23 Full Review david l Following the life of herdsmen in the Kazakhstan steppe, Tulpan is a film that is difficult to watch in its realism, but also an essential look into this lesser-known culture and way of life that becomes truly touching in some of its more heartbreaking sequences. The direction, sound and imagery all worked in tandem to make this movie both artistic and strikingly memorable. The classic song Rivers of Babylon has also never been used better than in this movie. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member A masterpiece! Incredible film, totally new, incredible long takes. It's a complete joy to watch it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Of those rare diamonds that come out where least expected. Documentary like drama with subtle sentiment, humorous touches here and there and of course drama on the rough. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/15/23 Full Review Audience Member ï¿ 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2ï¿ 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 ï¿ 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2Ð¸Ð»ï¿ 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2ï¿ 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/4 ï¿ 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2ï¿ 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2?ï¿ 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2Ð¿Ðµï¿ 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member Sounds came out animals I never heard before. People did things to animals I never want to see again. Yet somehow this film works in an extreme culture shock sort of way. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Tulpan

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Asa (Askhat Kuchinchirekov), recently released from military service, travels to the Kazakh steppes. He moves in with his sister (Samal Esljamova), her husband (Ondas Besikbasov) and their children in a small village in the dry plains. Asa dreams of becoming a shepherd, but first he needs to find a wife. The only woman available is Tulpan (Tolepbergen Baisakalov), who is initially turned off by the awkward Asa. Their relationship will determine the rest of Asa's life.
Director
Sergeï Dvortsevoï
Producer
Karl Baumgartner, Thanassis Karathanos
Screenwriter
Sergeï Dvortsevoï, Gennadi Ostrovsky
Distributor
Zeitgeist Films
Production Co
Pallas Film, Arte
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
Russian
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 1, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 7, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA)
$156.3K
Runtime
1h 40m