“PAY THE BILL” is an independent drama from Kazakhstan. At its centre are domestic violence, public silence and the question of who takes responsibility when the protection of a woman fails.
Images and project material · PAY THE BILL on wemakeit
Credits and production
- Director: Assel Aushakimova
- Cinematography: Aigul Nurbulatova
- Art direction: Ayana Nurdinova
- Swiss co-producer: Kairat Birimkulov
Markets and development
The project’s stages include the Asian Project Market in Busan, the Central Asian Co-production Workshop in Cannes, the Alternativa Development Lab and Talents from Central Asia in Tashkent. The project won the CAF Pitch at the Bishkek International Film Festival.
The project’s path
Shooting is complete. For post-production, CHF 15,000 was raised on wemakeit from 25 supporters. The campaign closed successfully on 29 August 2026. It was planned for sound, music, colour grading, subtitles and festival work.
The film is in post-production. Premiere dates and festival selections will be published once confirmed. The release year is not yet set.
What it is about
After her daughter’s violent death, a mother faces an indifferent police officer. Children are left without their mother; the bereaved are asked to pay a bill. The drama looks at those affected and at the consequences of looking away, without turning suffering into sensation.
Project video
The video of the wemakeit campaign gives an insight into what the film is about. Length: 1:35.
Contact
For festival, distribution and media requests: kontakt@kairatbirimkulov.ch · subject “PAY THE BILL”.
Project source: wemakeit · Editorial status: 9 November 2026.