As we learned from his recent open letter to Vladimir Putin asking for the Russian Prime Minister to support immortality research, Steven Seagal is a great friend to the Russian people, and even “considers himself Russian,” despite being an Irish Jew from Fullerton who wears kimonos. Seagal was recently in neighboring Astana, Kazakhstan to attend a star-studded International Action Film Festival whose other luminaries included poetry superstar Michael Madsen. During the press conference, Seagal brought up his idea for a Genghis Khan epic, which he’s apparently been talking about since 1998. In fairness, if there’s one thing we know about Steven Seagal, it’s that he doesn’t keep track of space and time too well. Here’s my favorite badly-translated account of the event:
This year such famous Hollywood stars as Steven Seagal and Michael Madsen have become the guests of the festival. Such actors as Sergey Svetlakov, Marat Basharov, Viktor Verzhbitsky, Yekaterina Strizhenova, Yevgeny Stychkin and Dmitry Nagiyev were among the guests. At the festival Dmitry will present the “Two pistols. Evasive brilliant” film, where he is in the lead cast. [CaspioNet]
That movie sounds awesome. Here’s a more coherent account of Seagal discussing his Khan epic.
As Steven Seagal said at a press conference on Saturday in the capital of Kazakhstan, where the 2nd International Action Film Festival ASTANA-2011 is taking place, he would like to play the role of the Mongolian khan.
“I really want to make a movie about Genghis Khan. I get lots of offers, but I want to shoot not just a film, but a big epic. Probably, my friend – the mayor of Astana (Imangali Tasmaganbetov) – will help me” – the actor hopes.
At the same time Steven Seagal admitted that because of the crisis the American film industry is in the doldrums. Therefore he intends to work on the film about Genghis Khan together with Russian and Kazakhstan cinematographers.
“Now I am also in the process of developing joint projects with Russian film directors. We are not only working on the plot, but also settling financial issues. I hope very much for working with Timur Bekmambetov, since I consider him a great and hardworking film director”- he added. [RussiaIC]
“Because of America’s financial issues, I hope to work somewhere where capital is stable, like the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan. I would even consider working with Timur Bekmambetov, the most famous person Kazakhstan has ever produced.” As much as the Seagal jokes are endless here, I fell down a bit of a Kazakhstan rabbit hole while writing this post, and it was just too good not to share. For instance, would you like to see photos from Kazakhstan’s Fashion Week? (Yes, you would). Or how about learn more about the traditional Kazakh sport of “Girl Chasing?”
“Kyz kuu, literally ‘girl chasing’, is a traditional sport among the Kazakhs and Kyrgyz. It exhibits some elements of horse racing, but is often referred to as a ‘kissing game’.
A young man on horseback waits at a given place (the starting line). A young woman, also mounted, starts her horse galloping from a given distance behind the young man. When the young woman passes the young man, he may start his horse galloping. The two race towards a finish line some distance ahead. If the young man is able to catch up to the young woman before they reach the finish line, he may reach out to her and steal a kiss, which constitutes his victory. However, if the young man has not caught up to the young woman by the time they reach the finish line, the young woman turns around and chases the young man back to the starting line. If she is in range of the young man, she may use her whip to beat him, which signifies a victory for her.” [Wikipedia]
When Steven Seagal wins a girl chasing match, he celebrates with a unique physiological reaction. Now then, how about some pictures from Kazakhstani Fashion Week?
Damn. I was hoping that black thing was a stuffed velvet Kalashnikov.
Cool arm band.
Faces of the people in the background: Priceless.
Dammit, now I have to change.
This one was from 2008, but still.
I hope she’s hiding a “Jew egg” under there.
That’s just a cool look is all.
That is of course potassium powder she’s throwing, a tradition at Kazakhstani fashion shows. (I assume).
[Picture source = SowetanLive]
[via Metro.co.uk]
From 2009 Fashion Week, via IndiaTimes.
