The Sculpture

Zhangir decides to sell an ancient family dombra to the National Museum for 30 million tenge. To justify the sale, he lies about his grandfather’s illness and claims the instrument belonged to their famous ancestor, Tattimbet. His sister Sezim tries to reason with him, reminding him that the heirloom belongs to the entire family, but Zhangir ignores her and signs an irreversible contract.Celebrating the deal, he cynically tells friends he does not believe in karma, divine power, or ancestral curses. However, during an interrogation, investigator Khrustalev reveals that the dombra is a fake and Zhangir’s story was a manipulation.At that moment, punishment for betraying his family catches up with him. In a powerful final metaphor, Zhangir, who stripped himself of humanity for money, literally turns into a cold stone statue with his traditional cap left on its head.