Mikhailova’s River Dreams, premiering at Berlinale, is full of hope. There is hope in sisterhood and solidarity, in change, and in the power of art, song, spoken word, and protest to break the shackles that bind every woman in Kazakhstan.
From the glaciers of the Zailiyskiy Alatau mountain range, the Aksay River flows down the mountain and through forests and fields. It’s a river of power, beauty, and strong undercurrents; a river that reflects the often turbulent history of Kazakhstan. It is a river that has nourished and fed, irrigated and shaped, and entertained and provided trade for Kazakhs, Uzbeks, and Russians in a country that may have claimed independence from Soviet rule in 1991, but continues to sit within the shadow of its former colonial master.
Kristina Mikhailova’s documentary feature River Dreams, like the mighty Aksay, navigates a path through Kazakhstan that takes us from roaring rapids to calm, quiet waters and scarred, polluted pools as she explores the experiences of Kazakh women, young and old, by asking one question: “If you were a river, what kind of river would you be?”
River Dreams is the first documentary feature from Kazakhstan to premiere at the Berlinale, and it was a challenge for the filmmakers to secure financing to finish the film before its premiere at Zoo Palast. Thankfully, its very presence in the Forum programme helped secure the necessary funding for post-production, as River Dreams isn’t just a powerful exploration of the female experience in a country still largely closed to the world, it’s a rallying call for change.
Mikhailova’s documentary began as an open call to women living along the Aksay River to speak about the river of their lives. Hundreds responded, and in-depth interviews with dozens were conducted from 2022 to 2024 (not all of which made it into the final film). During this period, Kazakhstan would face the murder of Saltanat Nukenova by a former minister, Kuandyk Bishimbayev, opening up discussions nationwide on domestic violence, secrecy, oppression and women’s rights. These socio-political discussions only further enhance the power of many of the interviews Mikhailova conducted.
River Dreams introduces us to women, young and old, in a documentary that is transfixing in its visual beauty and narrative power. From a meeting with Mira, a young feminist and LGBTQ+ activist, to a dancer who wants to challenge social taboos around sex and a single sex school headmistress who believes in a traditional female education of sewing and cooking, Mikhailova’s River Dreams embraces a diverse range of perspectives but never loses sight of its core message: change.
It’s an urgent message, and one that carries bravery one cannot ignore. After all, it is important to remember that, despite its independence, Kazakhstan remains a tightly controlled country where freedoms are governed by the men who rule, and women’s voices are rarely heard. Therefore, the courage of the women who freely bring their lived experiences, beliefs, and values to River Dreams is not only powerful but also resolute.
Men and boys are not absent from Mikhailova’s documentary, but it’s clear that they, and they alone, shape the river, play freely on its banks and attempt to control its power. When asked if the river was a woman, what kind of woman would it be? One man states, “It’s one we cope with, like any woman.” It’s also men who scar the river through industry, and pollute the river that nourishes them, just as they scar and pollute the opportunities available to the women who give birth to them and raise them. What is clear, even if not fully vocalised among the men interviewed, is that the river, like Kazakhstan’s women, is there to serve them, not challenge them.
There are, as you would expect, cultural and generational divides in the opinions and discussions River Dreams opens. Some are clearly eager for radical social change, while others want that change to happen more thoughtfully. Discussions of dreams and desires flow through each interview, while the lasting shadow of colonialism and the master-slave relationship it thrived on continues to instil fear. Yet despite those fears, Mikhailova’s River Dreams is full of hope. There is hope in sisterhood and solidarity, in change, and in the power of art, song, spoken word, and protest to break the shackles that bind every woman in Kazakhstan.
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