Hope you packed light because this week we’re traveling by foot to cross off the next country on my Letterboxd Map! Follow me as I journey to Kyrgyzstan for… Running to the Sky (2019).
Title: Running to the Sky
Director: Mirlan Abdykalykov
Released: October 7, 2019 (Germany – Schlingel Film Festival)
Runtime: 1 hour 28 minutes
Available to stream on: Tubi
Jekshen (Temirlan Asankadyrov) lives with his father in a mountain village in Kyrgyzstan. Their farm is struggling, Jekshen’s mother has left them, and his father has turned to the bottle in order to cope. This leaves an assortment of the father’s friends to watch over young Jekshen.
Meanwhile, Jekshen finds that running gives him the escape from reality that he needs. It helps that he is also faster than nearly everyone in town.
The local gym teacher has noticed Jekshen’s talent and pushes to try and utilize his skills more. The only problem with that is that Jekshen needs proper attire in order to compete. As we see when we get a peak inside his home, there isn’t much that could be sold off in order to come up with the funds needed for a new gym outfit.
In time, Jekshen begins to see that his running talents might just be his ticket to a better life.
But will he be running towards a better life?
Or simply running from all of his troubles at home?
There is a lot here to like.
For one, the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous. Despite the harsh realities of life within the mountainside village, you’re able to appreciate the natural beauty that surrounds it.
I also really enjoyed Asankadyrov’s performance as Jekshen. When you picture a young kid that likes to run, you might picture a hyper and rambunctious child. There isn’t an ounce of that present in Jekshen. Instead, every move and action is quiet and deliberate. We’re able to get a feeling for what this kid is carrying with him, from the bullying at school to the situation at home.
It would be easy to say that a film focused on the effects of poverty on children could be too heavy of a watch. Luckily though, Running to the Sky (2019) provides enough heart and well-placed humor to keep things somewhat light.
Had it not been for me wanting to cross off every country on my Letterboxd Map, I don’t think this would have ever been on my radar.
All in all, Running to the Sky (2019) wound up being a pleasant surprise.
Have you seen Running to the Sky (2019)?
If so, leave a comment below or reach out on Bluesky and tell me what you thought of it!
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Going to need to add it to “the list.” The coldest I’ve ever been was in Kyrgyzstan, but the countryside is gorgeous.