Production – Kazakhstan
Year – 2010
Producers – Igor Zai, Ruben Arzumanov, Vladimir Kim
Directors – Bakhodyr Yuldashev, Dosmukhan Kerimbaev
Director of photography – Mikhail Vorobiev
Screenplay – Igor Zai
Starring: Nurlan Turashev, Alfia Khabibulina, Sergei Nikonenko, Aidos Bektimirov, Oleg Li, Ilya Myachin, Danil Volkovinsky, Aziz Nurmukhamedov, Oleg Ogai.

Zugzwang – is a term usually used in chess to describe a situation where a player is put at a disadvantage with every move he makes. The situation which the protagonist of the movie finds himself in is very similar to zugzwang because there is no way of guessing who’s a pawn and who’s a queen.

The foremost idea of the film is love. It tells the love story of Zarema and Bekbulat, which is too complicated because of their social status. Zarema is an orphan brought up by her elder brother Umar, a high-powered businessman. Bekbulat is a guy from a poor family and Zarema’s brother is determined that Bek is not a good match for his sister. Bek is willing to do everything to prove his feelings and marry Zarema.

One day he gets involved into a fight and finds himself in a vortex that totally changes his life. Trying to help his friends resolve the problems associated with the sale of land, he realizes he has a great chance to play his own game.

The life he lives becomes very different, stakes are high, and Bek’s business becomes dangerous. But Bekbulat will not give up - neither gang-style shoot-outs nor attempted holdups will stop him. He even gains the respect of local bosses. Everything Bek does, serves one and only purpose – to reunite with Zarema.

His loved one, however, becomes the victim of local mafia ready to do anything to gain money and power. The events come thick and fast, Bek is on the verge of bankruptcy. Eventually, he ends up in big trouble owing millions. He gets involved into a face-off between local mafia bosses, while Zarema is about to marry another man. As the situation is about to reach the point of no return, new players enter the game.