International project about Karlag: Kazakhstan and Spain on one film set

Filming of a new movie with the working title "Truce" ("La Tregua") has begun under an exclusive contract with Netflix. The project, dedicated to the tragic fates of the prisoners of Karlag, one of the largest Gulag camps in Kazakhstan, has united the creative forces of Kazakhstan and Spain. The main director of the film is Miguel Angel Vivas, known to viewers from the series "Paper Heist", Kazinform News Agency reports citing the akimat of the Karaganda region.

The film will tell about the struggle for survival and preserving human dignity in the difficult conditions of the 1930s-1950s. The main roles will be played by Spanish actors Miguel Herran ("Paper Heist") and Aron Piper ("Elite"), as well as Kazakhstani stars Dina Tasbulatova, Altynai Nogerbek, Sergey Ufimtsev and Farabi Akkozov.

A miniature Karlag was built for filming near the Spanish city of Bilbao. "We are aware that it is impossible to accurately reproduce the entire setting, the Kazakh steppe, but we have made every effort. Our team has studied a huge amount of documents, a colossal amount of work has been done by a group of production designers. It was a challenge, but we did our best to recreate a piece of Kazakhstan here in Bilbao," said Cesar Benitez, head of Plano a Plano.

"Truce" will be the first Netflix work with the active participation of Kazakhstani specialists. General Producer Amanat Konakbayev emphasizes the importance of the project: "This project is an important step in the development of international cooperation. We have carefully prepared its launch with an emphasis on high standards and global potential. In the current conditions, when the world is facing challenges and searching for common ground, such projects show that art can unite."

Filming will last two and a half months, and the premiere is planned at major international category A film festivals.