The Light Thief

The Light Thief

2010. Kyrgyzstan. Directed by Aktan Arym Kubat. With Kubat. “Mr. Light” is a humble electrician whose uncommon compassion—and ingenuity in pirating electrical currents—makes him the go-to problem-solver in his destitute village at the base of Kyrgyzstan’s Alai Mountains. But now the authorities are cracking down on this gentle Robin Hood (played with wry humanity by writer-director Kubat). Kubat’s mostly nonprofessional cast fills the panoramic frame with fascinating faces and genuine performances, in a tale of solidarity and decency amid the avarice and hardship of a changing world. In Kyrgyz; English subtitles. 80 min.