Céline Roustan
It’s the day before Independence Day in Kazakhstan. Since losing his wife, Marat has been struggling to find purpose in his life, feeling increasingly disconnected from his world. As the country prepares for the national celebration, his whole life is about to crumble. In her directorial debut Happy Independence Day, writer/director Camila Sagyntkan cleverly captures the societal and cultural shift of Post-Soviet Kazakhstan, using her protagonist’s journey as a poignant metaphor for this transition.
It’s through this metaphor that Sagyntkan’s film finds its uniqueness, as the director explains she was “hoping to encourage a more critical examination of culture.” Offering a fresh perspective on Kazakhstan’s socio-political landscape, Happy Independence Day uses satirical elements and a empathetic protagonist to deliver its impact. The film’s narrative is rich with nuance and paradox, giving an authenticity to Marat’s experience and making his journey all the more compelling. At the same time, Sagyntkan’s short also depicts the general feelings in Kazakhstan regarding the Independence, exposing the generational gap and the ongoing struggle to adapt to a new reality to be able to move forward.
Erkin Gubashev stars as Marat in Happy Independence Day
“While living with my uncle for about a year, I noticed that he embodies the Soviet generation that got stuck after the 1990s”, Sagyntkan shared with us while discussing the inspiration behind the film. From that observation, she then crafted a narrative where the main character is stuck in the past, struggling to accept his new reality – until he is forced to. While coming from the very specific experience of the post-Soviet era, Sagyntkan ultimately captures, with humor and heart, an identity crisis which is, emotionally, a very universal experience.
The use of animation in Happy Independence Day was present during the development stages of the film. Its inclusion works to lighten the overall mood of the film, while also serving as an effective way of depicting the social system Marat feels trapped in. Working with DP Pavel Yankevich, Sagyntkan opted for a visual aesthetic where she places her main character in a frame where he feels out of place and moving at a different speed. At the same time, the color palette they chose for the film enhances the humor-coated screenplay, creating an interesting mix of comedy and sincerity.
While the script has depth and nuance, for the film to be effective, it relies heavily on the performance of its lead actor, Erkin Gubashev, who portrays Marat. As he manages to make his character incredibly endearing, while also showing his darker and more annoying side, the audience can’t help but feel for him, even as we remain critical of some of his behavior. The journey he goes on over the runtime of the film only makes his character feel more genuine, leaving us on the most beautiful and hopeful note at the end.