Watch Baikonur

Baikonur is a 2011 Russian-language film set in the eponymous Kazakh city, home to the world's first and largest space launch facility. Directed by Veit Helmer, the film is a romantic-comedic drama that revolves around one young Kazakh boy, Iskander (Alexander Asochakov), who dreams of becoming an astronaut and traveling to space. The film stars other actors like Marie de Villepin, Sitora Farmonova and Erbulat Toguzakov.

Iskander is a man of few words and a quiet demeanor. He lives in a yurt in the desert, where he tends to his camels and studies the stars at night. One day, he stumbles upon Gagarin (Sitora Farmonova), a French space enthusiast who has traveled to Baikonur to witness a rocket launch. Gagarin is initially just another stranger passing through, but as they spend more time together, a romance blossoms between the two.

As the two grow closer, Iskander is faced with a dilemma. Gagarin is about to leave Baikonur to return back to France, and Iskander must decide whether to follow his heart and leave with her or remain in Baikonur to pursue his lifelong dream. Meanwhile, Iskander's best friend, a Kazakh boy named Tleughen (Erbulat Toguzakov), becomes involved in the story when he discovers that the Russian space agency is planning a secret, unmanned launch to the moon, using a replica of the lunar lander that Armstrong used to make his famous first step onto the moon.

The plot thickens when Tleughen and Iskander hatch a plan to steal the lunar lander and take it on a joyride through the desert. They are soon pursued by the authorities, including a team of Russian Cosmonauts who have arrived at Baikonur to oversee the launch.

Baikonur is a visually stunning film that captures the beauty and isolation of the Kazakh desert. The film's portrayal of the space launch site is particularly impressive, with long tracking shots and wide frames that capture the enormity of the rocket assembly buildings and the launch pads themselves.

Much of the film's humor comes from the cultural divide between Gagarin and Iskander, as well as their language barrier. Gagarin speaks very little Kazakh, and Iskander's English is limited to a few key phrases he has picked up from watching American movies. Their dialogue is often a mix of broken Kazakh, English and French, but their chemistry is undeniable.

Baikonur combines elements of romance, comedy, and adventure into a wonderfully quirky film that is full of heart. This film is a must-see for fans of offbeat romantic comedies and anyone who is fascinated by space travel and the mysteries of the cosmos.