The Road to Mother (Anaga aparar jol), Kazakhstan’s official submission for the 2017 Academy Awards in the category of Best Foreign Language Film will be released in theaters throughout the U.S. starting May 10, 2019 via  World Wide Motion Pictures Corporation.

Directed by Akan Sateyev (also known for Strayed, Zhauzhurek Myng Bala ), The Road to Mother stars internationally acclaimed Central Asian actors Bolat Abdilmanov, Aruzhan Jazilbekova, and Berik Aitzhanov. Inspired by true events and spanning nearly a century, the epic drama follows the journey of a young Kazakh family from the 1930s to present day and explores the history of Kazakhstan through war, famine, collectivization, and the determination of the clan to remain united.

“The film’s producers and I are honored to have The Road to Mother opening theatrically in the United States,” states the film’s director, Akan Satayev. “I’m gratified that World Wide Motion Pictures Corporation’s marketing and distribution team understood that the film’s heartwarming story and its powerful themes of sacrifice and survival were truly universal and could be enjoyed by audiences anywhere in the world.”

The Road to Mother premiered at the 38th Moscow International Film Festival to critical acclaim and has been showcased at numerous other festivals, including: the New York Eurasian Film Festival (USA) – Winner: Best Foreign Film; the Marco Polo Film Festival (Croatia) – Winner: Best Film; WeLink International Film Festival (USA) – Winner: Best Feature Film; the Eurasian Bridge International Film Festival (Yalta) – Winner: Grand Prix and Best Actress for Altynai Nogherbek; and the Almaty Independent Film Festival (Kazakhstan) – Winner: Tulpar Prize. Additionally, The Road to Mother was recognized by the Ak Ilbirs National Film Awards (Kyrgyzstan) in the category of Best Central Asia Film.