Almaty means a city full of apples. In a market of Almaty, a boy sells plastic bags instead of delicious apples. He takes care of his little sister and invalid uncle while his parents drown themselves in liquor. This mature boy, who takes his sister and uncle to the movies, sits in stark contrast to his parents, who drive their boy out to the street to scrounge money for liquor. The weakness of adults hiding behind alcohol and the strength of the boy, stealing to make a living, are also in contrast. The view of the slum where the boy plays soccer and swims with friends resembles the outskirts of Rome, where youngsters wandered in the Pier Paolo Pasolini’s <Accattone>. Inserts of unique rhythmic shots of the family staring ahead resemble Pasolini’s poetic, postneo-realist cinema. The film captures Kazakhstan’s reality in its true texture then decorates the finale with heartbreaking illusion while Talgat parts ways with his loved ones. (SHIN Eun-shil)