Biography

Anel Sarsembayeva is a Kazakhstani filmmaker known for her work as a director, writer, and producer. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Filmmaking from the Kazakh National University of Arts in 2023, where she studied under the mentorship of Yerlan Nurmukhambetov. “Toy” (2021): Anel made her directorial debut with this short feature film, which she also wrote and produced. The film was nominated at the Falcon International Film Festival in London in February 2022. “Karim le Fou” (2023): This 28-minute film was showcased at the Festival du Film Kazakh in Paris. The narrative follows Karim, a student who becomes entangled in a criminal incident and attempts to maintain normalcy amidst the ensuing chaos. The film was part of Kazakhstan’s official delegation to the Cannes Film Market in 2023.