Story & Lesson Highlights with Kaisar Maxutov of New York

We recently had the chance to connect with Kaisar Maxutov and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning Kaisar, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Recently, a friend of mine sent me a video out of the blue. We don’t talk much, but we try to support each other’s creative projects – short films, ideas, or music.

Back in August, when my latest film “SARA” came out of the editing room, I sent her a link to watch it. She took her time, but eventually, I received a voice message from her saying that she liked it. That already made me feel proud – the idea that someone might actually like what I’m doing.

Then, last week, she texted me again asking for the link to the film. Of course, I sent it. But this time, she surprised me by sending a kind of fan edit for the film. She had used a song whose lyrics matched the plot and told the story of SARA.

When I saw it, I just stared at my phone for quite a while. It felt really good.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Kaisar Maxutov. I’m a filmmaker from Kazakhstan, now based in New York. I’m a proud blood carrier of the Argyn tribe. So far, I’ve mostly worked on short films as a director and sound mixer, but right now, things are starting to grow.

I’m currently part of a team working on a feature screenplay called “Alyp Kashu.” It’s based on a Kazakh “tradition” that basically means bride kidnapping. The story dives into that theme – not to glorify it, but to explore how it still exists and what it says about who we are today.

Aside from that, me, Islam Gimazov, are finally working on making our production company Wide Shot Production official. For the last three years at the New York Film Academy, we’ve been releasing our work under this name, and now we’re ready to take it beyond college walls.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My friends and family have always been the foundation of everything I do. My family supported my interest in filmmaking from the very beginning – since I was a kid running around with a camera, trying to capture something that made sense only to me. They never questioned why I wanted to tell stories through film; instead, they encouraged me to keep going, even when it didn’t seem like a “real” path. That belief gave me the courage to take this dream seriously.

My friends, on the other hand, played a huge role in shaping who I am as an artist. They’ve helped me see both my strengths and my weaknesses – what I’m good at and what I still need to work on. They’ve been honest, patient, and supportive through every phase of a project, from the first draft to the final cut.

I truly believe I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing today without them. Every achievement, every step forward, carries a part of their influence. And I can only hope they feel the same way about me – that in some way, I’ve inspired or supported them just as much as they’ve supported me.

Do you remember a time someone truly listened to you?
I have a really small group of people I can actually talk to about my problems or the things that worry me. But if you’ve seen the films I’ve directed, you’ll notice there’s always something personal hidden in the story – something I’m trying to say through the characters.

For me, filmmaking has always been another way of talking, of reaching out when words in real life don’t come easily. I like to believe that the people who watch my films are, in a way, listening to me. And maybe, if they recognize a piece of themselves in those stories, they can relate – and even find their own way to deal with what they’re going through.

One of the short films I made, called “I’m Afraid,” was actually based on a monologue I had in my head – about, surprise, the things I’m afraid of. It came from a very personal place, and I never really expected people to connect with it the way they did. But after releasing it, I heard from many who said they related to those same fears. That meant a lot to me.

The film stars Juliette Cochet, a brilliant actress I’ve had the chance to work with many times. She took my thoughts – the things I could barely put into words — and brought them to life through her performance. She didn’t just play the character; she projected everything I felt. And because of that, people could see themselves in her, and in a way, they were listening to what I was trying to say.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes and no – it’s really hard for me to say. Of course, I’m more serious in public than I am with my friends, but I think the real version of me is somewhere in between. I try to stay professional when I need to, but I also don’t want to lose that part of myself that jokes around and laughs.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
To be honest, I struggle with how I feel after finishing something I’ve worked hard on. Every time I complete the edit of a film – whether it’s mine or a project I’ve been part of – I feel that moment of joy when it’s done, when it wins something, or when people react to it. But soon after, there’s this emptiness that follows.

I think it’s because I spend months completely immersed in one project, living inside its world, and then suddenly it’s over. There’s nothing more I can do with it, and that leaves a strange silence. My close friends already know my habit – I often start writing sequels to my own films. It’s not about continuing the story for the sake of it; it’s more about not being ready to let that world go.

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