Named Best Actor at the 2004 Tokyo International Film Festival, Olzhas Nussuppaev is simply remarkable as the title character in Guka Omarova's outstanding directorial debut, SCHIZO. Set in early 1990s Kazakhstan, the film centers on Mustafa (Nussuppaev), a 14-year-old who is nicknamed Schizo because of a mental handicap that makes him a little different from other kids. Schizo lives with his mother (Gulmara Jeralieva) and her lowlife boyfriend, Sakura (Eduard Tabyschev), who uses Schizo to lure men to fight in a dangerous bare-knuckle gambling ring. Just as one fighter is about to die, he asks Schizo to give the little money that he earned to his wife and son; in doing so, Schizo begins an unusual relationship with Zina (the captivating Olga Landina) and her young boy, Sanzhik (the charming Kanagat Nurtai), who are living a meager existence in a shack at the far end of the remote village. When Schizo brings in a crazy uncle who actually wins an important bout, Sakura gets in deep trouble and decides to use Schizo to get out of it.

Beautifully photographed on location in Almaty, Kazakhstan, by Khasanbek Kydryaliyev, SCHIZO (also known as FIFTY-FIFTY) is a wonderful, unique cinematic experience, a deeply moving, sweetly involving, and subtly powerful portrait of an extraordinary teenager searching for family and his place in the world. Omarova was named Best Female Director at the Copenhagen International Film Festival for this gem of a movie.

DVD Features:

Region 1
Keep Case
Widescreen - 1.66
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - Russian
Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 - Russian
Closed Captioned - English
Subtitles - English, Spanish, French
Additional Release Material:
Featurette
Bonus Trailers
Interactive Features:
Interactive Menus
Scene Access

Olzhas Nusuppaev: Actor, SCHIZO (2005)
Eduard Tabyschev: Actor, SCHIZO (2005)
Olga Landina: Actor, SCHIZO (2005)
Bakhytbek Baymukhanbetov: Actor, SCHIZO (2005)
Viktor Soukhorukov: Actor, SCHIZO (2005)
Gulnara Jeralieva: Actor, SCHIZO (2005)
Kanagat Nurtai: Actor, SCHIZO (2005)

Guka Omarova: Director, SCHIZO (2005)

Sergei Selyanov: Producer, THE CUCKOO (2003)
Sergei Bodrov: Russian director/screenwriter, PRISONER OF THE MOUNTAINS
Sergey Azimov: Producer, SCHIZO (2005)

Guka Omarova: Director, SCHIZO (2005)
Sergei Bodrov: Russian director/screenwriter, PRISONER OF THE MOUNTAINS

 SIG: Composer, SCHIZO (2005)

"[A] movie about its hero's discovery of his ability to feel pride and to take responsibility, and it is also, fittingly, a proud and responsible film."
"[A] dark and lovely piece of work....Director Omarova has not only cast this film smartly but has given the proceedings something of the quality of a present day legend."
"[T]he director creates a taut picture of a place, and a liberating moment of choice."