Suimenkul Chokmorov

Suimenkul Chokmorov November 9 1939 September 26 1992 was a Kyrgyz Soviet actor and painter who became one of the most recognizable faces of the Kyrgyz Miracle cinema wave during the 1960s and 1970s He was named a Peoples Artist of the USSR in 1981 Born in the village of ChongTash Chokmorov initially pursued a career in the fine arts graduating from the Leningrad Academy of Arts in 1964 He shifted to acting in his late twenties making his film debut in Bolotbek Shamshiyevs A Shooting at the Karash Pass 1968 His screen presence and minimalist acting style quickly made him a frequent collaborator for leading Central Asian directors Chokmorov starred in several highprofile adaptations of Chingiz Aitmatovs literary works including Jamilya 1968 The Ferocious One 1973 and The Red Apple 1975 He also appeared in regional actiondramas such as The Seventh Bullet 1972 and gained international exposure by playing a supporting role in Akira Kurosawas Oscarwinning SovietJapanese coproduction Dersu Uzala 1975 Throughout his career Chokmorov balanced his work between film sets and his art studio continuing to paint portraits and landscapes alongside his cinematic activities until his death in 1992