- Originally from Kazakhstan, Zhannat is a writer, director working between Almaty and London.
Her short films have screened at top-tier festivals including Cannes (End of Season), Sundance (Paola Makes a Wish), and TIFF (History of Civilisation), which won Locarno’s Pardo di Domani award; and has shown at prestigious institutions such as Barbican Centre (UK), Tate Modern (UK), Art Basel (Switzerland) and The Asian Film Archive (Singapore).
Her debut feature, Becoming, premiered at the Locarno Film Festival and went on to screen at Busan, Tallinn Black Nights, Gothenburg and SXSW London among others.
Zhannat has several feature project in development, including Etc., her first English-language film, in development with Film4 (UK), selected for TIFF Writers’ Studio 2024 and awarded a Chanel Fellowship, A Minor Issue, selected for LIM and China Doll.
Zhannat is an alumna of Berlinale Talents, TIFF Filmmakers Lab, and Locarno’s Directing Workshop (mentored by Béla Tarr). She holds an MA from London Film School and is a member of BAFTA Connect and Directors UK.
- IMDb mini biography by: Zhannat Alshanova
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