From Kazakhstan, Aruzhan Dossymkozha’s About Mannequin tells the story of the resilience of family after tragedy strikes.
A Bride, her Groom, and their Child are out on a walk when the Bride is drawn to a bridal shop window and enchanted by a beautiful wedding dress on display. Despite her groom’s suspicion of the creepy shop owner, she insists this must be her wedding dress. Wanting to please his Bride, the Groom agrees and pays for the dress. They leave as the Bride is full of good fortune from her new purchase.
However, their luck takes a quick turn as the groom is still uneasy with the purchase. The Groom, a police officer, receives news of an escaped prisoner he helped convict. Rushing off to investigate the threat, he is confronted by the Prisoner at his doorstep, who fatally shoots the Groom. The Bride finds him dead.
As she mourns at his funeral, the Bride becomes convinced the dress has cursed her life. She returns to the bridal shop, desperate to rid herself of the cursed dress, and demands a refund. The shop owner offers her a mere fraction of what the Groom paid for it.
“…she becomes convinced the dress has cursed her life.”
About Mannequin is a black-and-white silent film that showcases a stunning performance by Ayanat Ksenbai as the Bride. The story takes viewers on a journey from her highest moments of happiness to the depths of despair. After the Groom is murdered, the Bride feels utterly lost, and her only solace seems to be contemplating suicide. The film effectively captures the essence of tragedy as a silent piece of art.
Dossymkozha also explores the themes of the unbreakable family bond while also addressing the horrors of human trafficking. There is also an eerie theme associated with the film’s title.
The film feels like I’m transported back in time to the early days of film and seeing a fresh, crisp print of a brand new film. Director Dossymkozha takes full advantage of the black-and-white medium in the way each frame is composed.
Lastly, the Kazakhstan culture is on full display, with its centerpiece being the ornate wedding dress designed by Aydana Omarova and the haunting lyrics of the film’s theme song performed by Kazakhstan singer Lucia.
About Mannequin is a beautifully rendered reminder of how far love and pain can intertwine, leaving an indelible mark long after the final frame fades.
"…From bliss to despair in haunting black-and-white."
