Original subtitles

Shuga Based on "Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy

Written and directed by Darezhan Omirbaev

Director of photography Boris Troshev

Sound Olivier Dandret

Production Design Nuriya Dusembaeva Kaspakova

Distribution Ainur Turgambaeva

Aidos Sagatov

Ainur Sapargali

Zhasulan Asauov

What am I going to do with these days, moving away from me as a stream?

What am I going to do with these nights, these sleepless nights?

My heart overflows with repentance.

But what am I going to do with my love, my passionate love?

What am I going to do with myself, if I am not close to you?

What will I do with my destiny, so different from that of Majnun?

Oh, I don't care so much for this wasted life.

But what am I going to do with my love, my passionate love?

What am I going to do with these days, moving away from me as a stream?

What am I going to do with these nights, these sleepless nights?

My heart overflows with repentance.

But what am I going to do with my love, my passionate love?

- Hello, Altynay! - Hello! - Happy Birthday! Thank you!

You haven't forgotten!

Have you finished your classes? Because if you're finished...

- Happy birthday, Altynay! - Thank you!

I wish you the best!

Thanks, Ablay! Thanks for coming!

Ablay, I present you Tolegen. He came to congratulate me too.

- Nice to meet you. Ablay. - Tolegen.

Tolegen works in films. He's an apprentice operator.

Great! When I was a kid, I was very interested in photography.

But now I have no time...

How about we go? They're waiting.

Okay, let me put on my coat.

You come with us, Tolegen? It's close.

No thanks. I can't.

Pity.

We could have talked about good movies... I'm so sick all this Hollywood.

- You come with us, Tolegen? - No, thanks, I can't.

As you like. Let's go.

Nice to meet you.

Shuga, I called you, but you were not home.

You must come quickly to Almaty. I'll explain everything when you get there.

No, take the night train.

You'll be late if you take something else.

Thank you. I knew you'd understand.

Hello, Ablay.

Hello, Bakhyt.

- What are you doing here? - My mother is arriving from Astana. And you?

My sister too. Do you know my sister Shuga?

Her husband is mister Izbassarov. He's a member of Parliament.

I'm not really interested in politics. But I don't know your sister.

You'll meet her today. She's a special woman.

How was the party yesterday? Altynay came back home very happy.

Yes, we went to the Soho. It was fun.

I know the place. It's very nice.

And did you go with Tolegen?

We met him at the university, but he didn't join us, he's a bit strange...

Yes, he really is.

He's in love with Altynay, but honestly, she prefers you.

Thank you, Bakhyt.

Astana-Almaty

Hello mum, welcome!

Hello son! Thank God you found me!

- How was the trip? - Very good, thanks.

Your brother is not here?

He's waiting outside.

This young man is my son.

I told you he was getting restless.

- Her name is Shuga. - Shuga. - Ablay.

You probably know her brother, Bakhyt Aishanov. He works at Alem Bank.

Yes, I know Bakhyt.

Thanks to your mother, I know all about you.

Which means you must be sick of me.

He's growing, nothing happens, it is impossible to ever be separated.

Shuga has a 7 year-old son in Astana.

It's the first time that she leaves him alone, can you believe that?

- Well, I have to go. Bye! - Bye!

- Bye! - Bye!

A very interesting woman.

There are not many like her nowadays.

It's a shame that she's married. Otherwise she'd be a good match for you.

Have you known Ablay for a long time?

I have, he is the youngest son of mister Baitassov, a millionaire.

They are very rich.

They own banks, hotels, oil fields...

But Ablay is humble and nice... a good person.

And what does he do?

He has a business in Astana. That's all I know.

Hopefully he will marry our Altynay.

Really?

But let's talk about you. What happened to you?

Another fight with Togzhan?

Yes, you're my only hope.

Everything will be fine.

Aunt Shuga!

It's over... I can't go on living with him.

And I cannot leave him. The kids...

His mere presence makes me sick.

I don't say that to comfort you,

nor to excuse him.

But there's one thing I'm sure of.

Bakhyt is one of those men

for whom family and kids are sacred.

As for the rest... It's something else.

These are seperate worlds.

I don't understand how this can be, but that's how it is.

But he sleeps with her!

And you? you'd forgive him?

I don't know...

Actually, if I know it, I'd forgive him.

It wouldn't be the same, but I would forgive.

And I'd forgive completely,

as if nothing had happened.

I would... Otherwise it wouldn't be true forgiveness.

What are we doing sitting here? I'm going to make some tea.

"Is Sex in the Marriage Possible?"

Has Amir grown?

Yes, he's had a growth spurt this year.

You wouldn't recognise him!

Let me show you some recent photos.

- Won't you come in? - No, thank you, next time.

Wait, I'll get you the CD.

This is in summer, in Great Britain.

- Take it. - Thank you.

- See you tomorrow. - Okay, Bye.

Tell dad and mum that I'm moving to the student dorm.

Levin: Stiva, Why? don't you want to tell me?

Levin: How is Kitty Scherbatskaya?

When will she get married? Or is she already?

Shu station. 20-minute stop.

A bottle of sparkling water, please.

Ablay?

I didn't know you were travelling too.

Are you going to Astana by car? By night? Why?

Why?

I'm travelling to be where you are. I can't live without you.

Mister Bakhytkhoja would like to see you, but he had a very important meeting.

That's why he sent me.

Mum!

Hi.

- Welcome! What's up in Almaty? - Did Max give you the money?

Yes. He had 200,000.

If he had not paid...

We would have blown up his fucking head.

Would you like some tea?

What have you been doing to my flat, pig? You could have cleaned up a bit.

Who's there?

I met her in a bar. I don't remember her name.

You like her?

Stupid...

Everything will be fine, madam.

We all go through the same at this age.

But the truth is that not everybody tries to commit suicide.

The best remedy for Altynay is time. Time heals everything.

Yesterday they called me from Almaty.

- Altynay is very sick. - Really? How sad...

- It doesn't seem to worry you that much. - Should it? Is it serious?

You behaved badly with her, Ablay.

I know. But you should understand why I did it.

Ablay, this is very serious for me.

What you told me affects me much more than you imagine.

It's over. From now on, I only have you.

Remember that.

I can't even remember my own life...

Astrology gives an answer to the enigma of love.

It is a conjunction of characters.

And what influences people's character?

First, their birth date.

Their date of birth, you understand?

Don't forget it.

And which Zodiac sign matches mine the best?

Sagittarius, of course!? What is your girlfriend's sign?

Just that, Sagittarius. But she's not my girlfriend.

Tolegen! You're a man, right? Why don't you try to see her again?

A Kazakh proverb that says: "You cannot avoid what is meant for you"

Women are human beings just like us.

They also make mistakes.

The main thing, Tolegen, is to not give up on a dream.

For example, a girl and a boy don't know each other in this life.

But in a previous life they were like the two wheels of a bicycle,

or mother and son,

or the two halves of an apple,

and if they meet in this life,

they recognize each other and instantly fall in love.

It's called reincarnation. You got it? I have to go, bye.

Altynay...

Altusha, my dear!

Congratulations for your degree!

What could you deserve on such an important day?

"You know? Now that I have a profession,

I wish that you find your soul mate.

Not a crackpot like me,

someone serious.

Someone who loves you and always takes care of you. Let's cheer to that.

Thank you.

- Congratulations! - Thank you. Thanks for coming.

- I saw you on the bus. - Really? When?

A month ago. You were back from skating in Medeu.

Ah, yes. I went skating with some friends.

More tea, Tolegen?

I heard that Altynay married a guy who works in films.

Thank God. I'm sure she'll have many children.

We too will have many children, right?

Well of course. And they'll be conceived in Paris.

I love you.

By the way, do you know Shuga, Bakhyt's sister?

Because she's abandoned her family, her son,

and fled abroad with her lover.

Oh my God, before, those things only happened in films...

Indeed, but true love makes people do such things.

Love is love, but leave your family, your son?

She's a wife, a mother!

Right?

Sure, sweetie, I'll be there in 20 minutes.

You can't imagine how much I suffer waiting for you.

When you're with me, I confide in you.

But when you're somewhere else,

I lead a life completely unknown to me...

Mum!

Mum? Leave me alone!

I am an adult, I don't need you to tell me how to behave in my private life.

And please tell dad to calm down.

Okay.

Okay... let's talk.

Shuga!? What is it this time?

Come on, I'll show you a funny thing that some friends made for me.

Can you believe it? They have found the morons

who attacked me on New Year's Eve. You remember? Look.

I'm waiting.

I pass!

One.

- Ablay? - Yes?

What if we have to pay for everything in life?

Even for love? How can we?

I don't know.

Shuga?

They say that animals never kill themselves. Only people do.

Indeed. People are intelligent enough to avoid more suffering.

We're here. Last stop.

Really? Good.

Listen to this, Tolegen.

We Kazakhs have a strong influence from shamanism in our culture.

For example, superstition: never raise your hand looking at the moon, things like that.

Some things comfort us some don't.

I believe in dreams.

When you dream everything lacks consistency.

But if you tell your dream to someone it's like it remains fixed.

Whenever I have a dream, I tell my mother...

- Shyntas! - Yes, it's me.

- Is Mrs Altynay Shyntas, from room 112, your wife?

Yes

Congratulations! You're a father!

Congratulations!

What's the date today? November 20th?

So, you child is a scorpion

It's the best.

The sign of Dostoevski.

Tolegen...

has some relative or a friend or yours died recently?

No, Why?

According to astrologists,

when a scorpion is born, someone else within the same family dies.

Or vice versa: when a scorpion dies, a birth occurs.

Come on now. Don't say foolish things.

Ok?

Okay.

You knew Shuga... Bakhyt's sister?

No. What happened?

She died yesterday.

She jumped under a train in Astana.

I saw her once... a beautiful woman.

I told you! And you didn't believe me.

Come on, let's drink!

I toast to your child's health, may he become a true man.

May he have an easy life.

Tolegen, the era of Pisces finished in 2003.

A new era is has begun.

Your child was born in this new era...