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‘Bauryna Salu’ Review: Kazakhstan’s Oscar Entry Captures a Child’s Abandonment
Kazakh Oscar entry 'Bauryna Salu' is a semi-autobiographical tale about family ties strained by nomadic tradition.
Raised by his elderly grandmother (Bigaysha Salkyn) in a rural village, Yersultan works hard, toiling away to extract salt from evaporation ponds, or harvesting ice (that is, when he isn’t helping her out at home). Yerman, in his leading role, delivers an utterly spellbinding performance, whether in complete silence and isolation, or in the rare moments Yersultan succumbs to various pressures at home and at school, and lets loose his stewing rage. More than an exploration of the custom at whose mercy Kuchinchirekov was raised, “Bauryna Salu” navigates the emotional labyrinth that arose in its wake, chipping away at the stone-faced façade Yersultan is forced to adopt, until it comes crumbling down.
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