The last of the former Soviet republics to declare independence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan has spent the last two decades redefining its cultural identity. Despite sweeping economic and political reforms, the wounds left from nearly eighty years of repression, forced collectivization, starvation, and violence still haunt the country.
The grandmothers of Kazakhstan have lived through the entire struggle for autonomy and independence. These babushkas bore witness to years of destruction and regeneration. As Kazakhstan finds its place in the global sphere, the only remnants of the past lie within the stories of these women.
These are their stories.
Babushka is available to rent or purchase on Amazon Instant.
This documentary was funded with the support of the Rice University Brotzen Summer Travel Award and the Parish Fellowship. For a full recounting of the trip, read more here.
After receiving the grants from Rice University, I set off to Kazakhstan to meet up with Babushka producer, Abigail Hook (Harvard '13). Our original goal for Babushka was to examine the effects of a rapid shift to capitalist privatization of health care in Kazakhstan after the dissolution of the Soviet Union - through the eyes of these babushkas. However, over the course of our trip, the focus shifted dramatically. It was clear that this project would be better served as a means to record and preserve the incredible stories of these women. We spent six weeks with five babushkas, asking them to share their universally-relatable stories of loss and love. We emerged with a feature-length ethnographic documentary exploring the role of gender, aging, and caregiving in Kazakhstan.
