Rustem Omarov, the director of the film "Swindlers," announced that the film had been removed from theaters in Kazakhstan. He posted this information on social media, according to our website.
Rustem Omarov, the director and lead actor in the film "Swindlers," announced that the film had been removed from distribution in one of Kazakhstan's cinemas.
He published the statement on an Instagram account dedicated to his projects.
"Dear Kazakhstanis, Despite widespread audience interest and high ratings, the film "Swindlers" has been removed from distribution at the Kinopark & Kinoplexx Theatres chain.
We see your messages and outrage about the fact that it's now impossible to watch the film in some regions of the country. This is a situation we have no control over," stated Rustem Omarov.
The director also noted that the film is available for viewing on other networks.
Yerlan Bukharbayev, PR director of the Kinopark & Kinoplexx Theatres chain, explained the situation on Instagram.
"The film 'Swindlers' was shown in franchise cinemas for 14 days, namely from April 2 to April 15, 2026. This is the typical film cycle in cinemas. Other films from Kazakhstani producers have begun to be shown in cinemas as well.
Those who haven't had a chance to see this film will, I think, be able to watch it very soon on streaming platforms. And as far as I know, franchises accounted for about 30% of the film "Swindlers"' box office revenue in Kazakhstan. I think that's a good result and deserves thanks from the film's producers.
And finally, I still think this is a good publicity stunt. The film is already on the decline, and this was probably done to generate additional interest in the film. It's become common practice among filmmakers to use our name for advertising these days. We welcome it!" he wrote.
