Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva has addressed the ongoing public debate regarding Kazakhfilm studio.
According to her, the land belonging to the studio has not been sold, and rumors about relocating Kazakhfilm to Astana are untrue. The minister emphasized that the land will remain under the studio’s ownership and will be used exclusively for cinematographic purposes.
“The baseless rumors surrounding this issue must be put to rest. The land owned by Kazakhfilm remains with the studio. It has not been sold and is being used solely in the interests of cinematography,” Balayeva stated.
Reports suggesting that investors are ready to invest significant funds into the studio’s renovation are also unconfirmed. The ministry clarified that no official proposals or guarantee letters have been received.
“This information has been widely circulated, but those making such claims cannot provide any supporting documents or concrete guarantees. The state, represented by the Ministry of Culture and Information, is open to working with serious investors. However, at this time, no official proposals or guarantee letters have been submitted—everything remains at the discussion level,” the minister explained.
Rumors about relocating Kazakhfilm to Astana are unfounded. However, the possibility of moving the Kazakanimatsiya creative association to the capital is being considered. This decision is aimed at developing the domestic animation industry.
“Currently, we are exploring the possibility of relocating Kazakanimatsiya to Astana. It is important to clarify that Kazakanimatsiya is not a production facility but rather a structure that distributes orders for animated content. Therefore, its relocation to the capital will not disrupt the industry’s operations,” Balayeva explained.
She also noted that, under the new law signed by the President, at least 30% of the annual budget allocated for the film industry will go to Kazakhfilm. Additionally, the studio is working on international collaborations to promote Kazakh cinema on a global scale.
“Kazakhfilm is not just a film studio; it is a symbol of Kazakh culture. Developing it remains a top priority,” said the minister.
Currently, with the support of sponsors, renovation work is underway at Kazakhfilm—the first in 15 years. Balayeva emphasized that the studio should be managed by a professional business executive rather than a director or actor, and the ministry is fully committed to supporting its development.
“The ministry firmly believes that this enterprise should be led by a professional manager capable of successfully and efficiently operating the film studio,” Balayeva concluded.
