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New Documentary Film Being Made for the 100th Anniversary of Turkmenfilm Studio
To mark the 100th anniversary of the Oguzhan-named Turkmenfilm Studio, celebrated next year, a new documentary titled Keşplerde yaşayan ykballar is being produced, according to the publication Turkmenistan: Golden Age.
The screenplay was written by Ore Dashgynov, with Rahymberdi Annagulyyev as the director.
The film will include archival footage and tell the story of the creation of famous films, introducing viewers to key figures of Turkmen cinema — directors, artists, and cameramen who have left their mark on Turkmenfilm’s history.
In addition to documentary material, the film will feature dramatized scenes depicting moments from the lives of cinema workers.
The screenwriter is confident the film will be very interesting, and actors have already been cast to portray well-known representatives of the national film industry.
The birthday of Turkmen cinema is considered February 7, 1926, when a film factory was established in Ashgabat producing documentary films about life and customs in the country.
The first Turkmen feature film, I Will Return, directed by Alexander Ledashchev, was released in 1935. The 1940 film Dursun marked the start of the career of prominent director Yevgeny Ivanov-Barkov at the Ashgabat studio, where he trained the first national specialists, including Alty Karliev, a key figure in Turkmen cinema.
The new documentary will cover these and other significant milestones in the history of Turkmen cinema.
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From Market Stall to Manufacturing Powerhouse: The Success Story of “Ak Gaýa”
The story of Ak Gaýa is a shining example of perseverance, ambition, and the ability to grow with time. What began as a small trading venture at a local market has evolved into one of Turkmenistan’s leading manufacturers of construction materials.
It all started in 1994, when brothers Annamyrat and Shamyrat Apowow registered the private enterprise Ak Gaýa to trade construction mixtures at the Bedew market. At first, they had no shop — all sales were made directly from their vehicle.
Thanks to their determination and hard work, business began to flourish. In 1997, they rented a store space at the same market, and by 2002, having purchased the premises, started importing products directly from Turkey.
By 2005, their retail network expanded to three stores — two at the Altyn Asyr market and one at Bedew.
A new milestone came in 2015, when the brothers decided to launch their own production. The company was re-registered as a Limited Liability Company. It obtained 25 hectares of land in the Balkan region for the construction of a plant producing building mixtures and gypsum boards. The construction was carried out using internal funds by the affiliated company Ak Ýaýla.
At the same time, Ak Gaýa leased 2.12 hectares of land in the industrial zone of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan in Ahal region for stores and warehouses, and 300 hectares in the Bereket farming association for livestock breeding and fodder cultivation.
From 2016, Ak Gaýa expanded its retail operations, offering a wide range of construction and household products. Between 2018 and 2020, the company continued building its production complex, purchased state-of-the-art equipment with the help of local bank financing, and gradually launched production of dry construction mixes and gypsum boards.
In 2018, Ak Gaýa registered its own trademark for plaster and putty — “Ak Alçi”, now recognized as a symbol of reliability and quality.
On December 8, 2020, a grand opening ceremony was held in the Balkan region for Ak Gaýa’s new factory producing gypsum boards and dry mixtures. The plant’s production capacity reaches 4 million square meters of gypsum board and 5,000 tons of dry mixtures per year. Equipped with modern technology from Spain, Turkey, and China, the factory ensures compliance with industrial, environmental, and fire safety standards.
Today, Ak Gaýa LLC is not only a major industrial producer but also operates the largest DIY retail network in Turkmenistan, offering over 11,000 product types across multiple categories.
From humble beginnings at a local market to the establishment of a high-tech manufacturing plant, Ak Gaýa’s journey is an inspiring story of Turkmen entrepreneurship — built on hard work, vision, and self-belief.
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