It is the 1930s, and Soviet rule arrives in Kazakhstan, and with it, collectivization?the nationalization of private property. The herds slaughtered and dispatched to Moscow reducing Kazakhstan’s population by 50 percent in less than a decade. Half of the Kazakhs died from hunger, the others migrated to China. This turbulent time is portrayed through the story of brothers Pakhraddin and Azbergen, and the tragic options they face. Azbergen, having seen the results of Soviet rule firsthand, wants his fellow villagers to leave and conserve their herds for themselves. But Pakhraddin is convinced they are better off dying at home. (Gulnara ABIKEYEVA)