They don't joke around in Kazakhstan—at least not when it’s time for revenge.

The latest raw, action-packed thriller from the region to hit HÕFF is Darkhan Tolegenov’s Punishment.

The film follows a corrupt cop who declares war on his own superiors after his daughter is kidnapped and assaulted—by his very own bosses.

"This is going to be an absolute bombshell," the filmmakers believe, once the film hits Kazakh theaters following its international run, due to its bleak portrayal of the hopeless entanglement between law enforcement and the criminal underworld.

It’s hardly surprising, as corruption levels in Kazakhstan, much like in other Central Asian nations, remain incredibly high despite ongoing efforts to root it out.

In recent years, Kazakhstan has become known for a wave of ultra-violent action cinema. Alongside Punishment, standout examples include Adilkhan Yerzhanov’s Moor and Steppenwolf—all of which are tied together by powerful underlying social themes.

The Egghead Republic

Kazakhstan is also at the heart of another HÕFF selection announced today: The Egghead Republic.

This dystopian sci-fi by Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja is set in 2004 in a Soviet Kazakhstan rocked by an atomic blast. The world’s trendiest magazine sends an aspiring "club kid" journalist and a film crew to the scene to investigate rumors of centaurs living within the exclusion zone.

"Political satire is back, baby—and it’s weirder than ever," Variety wrote, naming this Swedish film one of the standouts at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

"A film of extremes: hilarious and gruesome, incisive and idiotic, at once inspired and deranged. It’s the kind of cinematic anomaly that some will dismiss as nonsense, while others will hail it as visionary. One thing is certain: forgetting it is not an option," Cineuropa added.

The Egghead Republic was nominated for five Guldbagge Awards (the Swedish Oscars) this year, taking home the prize for Best Production Design.

This year’s festival runs from April 30 to May 2, 2026.

Early bird passes are on sale now.

Photo: The Kazakh Rambo, Aslan (Yerzhan Tusupov), in action.