Kazakhstan10 Essential Films from KazakhstanStop 1 of 10

The Needle

Name: The Needle
Released: 1989

Игла

1989

Returning to Alma-Ata to collect a debt, a laconic drifter finds his old girlfriend hooked on morphine and resolves to help her kick it and take on the dealers who supply her. A cult perestroika-era classic starring rock icon Viktor Tsoi.

Return to the complete list Film notes Watch options

Part of 10 Essential Films from Kazakhstan

This film is stop 1 of 10 in the hand-ranked native-cinema route through Kazakhstan. See the complete ranking or read the selection methodology.

Watching this film stamps Kazakhstan in the 196 country film challenge.