In Kazakhstan in 1918, superintendant Tokhtar Baïtenov is a typical
Bolshevik at the head of a small Tchekist division. He stands as a symbol
for the life of the Kazak people during this turbulent period when
the political police is active and denunciations are widespread. He is
endlessly put to the test. Suspected of treason, he is arrested and sent
to jail where he shares his cell with his ‘class enemy’ rich landowner
Junus.
This eastern film stands apart with its great plastic beauty and the
ambiguity of the relationship between the two main characters. Critic
Tolegen Baitoukenov wrote: "The director agreed to make one more
film of cine propaganda (this is what the backers believed) and managed
to shoot a Shakespearian drama. (…) "Alarming Morning" is not
simply a film. It is also a civil act from a great man and an outstan
ding director."
Festival de Vesoul, 2012
