Grandma the General

The film tells the story of Anzirat, an elderly woman who lives in a small village in Soviet Uzbekistan with her son, daughter-in-law, and their ten children, all boys. Because of her strictness the villagers call Anzirat "Grandma-General". Back in the 1930s, Anzirat headed the main farm of the village and went through many hardships. Even when she gets old, Anzirat does not want to rest and cannot put up with the laziness, greed, and negligence of some of the villagers. She tries to put things in order for her family. Her son, however, instead of helping his pregnant wife spends all his spare time building a family football team. Only after Anzirat's death do the residents of the village realize how empty their village is without her. They feel that Anzirat was the conscience of their village.

Directed by Melis Abzalov, Grandma the General leans on a strong ensemble — Gani Agzamov, Tamara Kosubayeva, Zainab Sadriyeva — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 1983.