Powerful United Nations Spotlight Initiative Supports Eradication of Gender-Based Violence

A short film ‘When I Grow Up’ (directed by Zhannat Alshanova, produced by Centera Production) premiered on the 29th of November during the Spotlight Initiative Closing Conference in Astana, Kazakhstan. Spotlight Initiative is the global initiative of the United Nations in partnership with the European Union to eliminate violence against women and girls.

“In my work, I am always interested in exploring the construction of reality and the power of the narrative, especially the one often imposed on us by society or by us as individuals on others.” Zhannat comments, “In this film, I wanted to show how children who witness domestic violence often get told a distorted version of the story. We must, above all else, protect children from the ugly truth, but I also believe that multiplying confusion and denial brings its own problems to these tragic stories.”

Earlier this year, the highly awarded director was contacted by a producer and lawyer from Kazakhstan, who wanted to raise awareness about domestic violence in their native country and worldwide. They hit it off, and screenwriter and filmmaker Zhannat created the script for ‘When I Grow Up’. They decided to make it an international campaign together with the support of their networks. The release follows recent news in Zhannat’s native Kazakhstan of the arrest of an ex-Minister in relation to his wife’s brutal killing and coincides with a global online initiative called 16 Days Against Gender-Based Violence.

Zhannat recorded the film’s English version in London where she now lives and works. During the ADR session, they had to carefully explain to the young actress what domestic violence is. Zhannat concludes, “I really wish that there were more kids unaware of this problem.”