Kyrgyz Diaspora Drama “Only Heaven Knows” Shines at Alternativa Film Festival

“Only Heaven Knows” follows Mira (Malika Kanatova), a Chicago nail-salon worker whose husband Eric (Dauren Tashkenbaev) vanishes amid gambling debts. Filmed on Chicago locations in May–June 2024, the drama premiered locally before screening at the third Alternativa Film Festival, a traveling event that covered over 7,000 miles from Kazakhstan to Medellín, Colombia.

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Director Nurzhamal Karamoldoeva financed the project through fundraising, relying on the Kyrgyz diaspora in Chicago. Volunteers supplied meals, locations, and logistical aid, while a majority-Kyrgyz crew—including screenwriters Jeff Man and Guljan Toktogul—collaborated with non-professional actors who drew on personal experiences.

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Karamoldoeva says the film was completed before a surge in ICE raids in the United States. During post-production the team monitored raid reports, and at the Chicago premiere some crew hesitated to attend because of heightened immigration enforcement. She notes the earlier schedule enabled the project, while current conditions would impede production.

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The Kyrgyz community in Chicago, often described as “invisible,” is large enough that residents call the city “Chicagostan.” At the premiere, many audience members learned of the community’s presence for the first time. Karamoldoeva hopes the film acts as a cultural bridge, increasing awareness of Kyrgyz immigrant experiences.

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Karamoldoeva emphasizes that Kyrgyz diaspora support made the film possible and that the community’s low visibility motivated her storytelling. She calls the Alternativa Festival a focal point for regional filmmakers and critics, and notes growing local audiences as a catalyst for Kyrgyz cinema’s artistic growth. She also cites co-production with Kazakhstan as essential for talent development.

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• Alternativa Film Festival’s itinerary covered over 7,000 miles across multiple continents.

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• The production team consisted primarily of Kyrgyz creatives, with a majority-Kyrgyz cast and crew.

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• “We raised funds on our own, it is a totally independent production, and we had such great support from the local diaspora, who really showed up during production with lunches, locations, and overall help,” — Nurzhamal Karamoldoeva, Director

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• “We shot the film between May and June of 2024, before things got really bad,” — Nurzhamal Karamoldoeva, Director

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• “People from Central Asia call Chicago Chicagostan because it is a very popular destination for Kyrgyz and Kazakh immigrants,” — Nurzhamal Karamoldoeva, Director

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• “There are very close ties to the diaspora, but the community still feels invisible, and that was a very palpable feeling at our premiere. Many of the audience members were learning about the size of the Kyrgyz diaspora in the city for the first time. I hope this film and more like it become cultural bridges to make the community more visible.” — Nurzhamal Karamoldoeva, Director

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Karamoldoeva highlights the upcoming third edition of the Bishkek International Film Festival in June as a platform for regional talent. She is developing a new feature, “Taken,” set in 1960s Kyrgyzstan, which explores a young woman’s forced mountain exile and subsequent kidnapping. Continued co-productions with Kazakhstan aim to strengthen Kyrgyz filmmaking capacity.

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