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“Second life”: a short film as an exploration of gender inequality and family conflicts
At Satbayev University, within the framework of the ArtLab Cycle of creative disciplines, the project “Second Life” is being implemented — a short fiction film dedicated to the exploration of gender inequality and conflicts within the family. The project is being developed as part of interdisciplinary student project work oriented toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
At the center of the narrative are everyday forms of inequality manifested in daily practices: the devaluation of women’s labor, unequal distribution of resources, and fixed roles within the family. The project raises the question of how such models are reproduced in everyday life and what consequences they have for the formation of personality and life strategies.
The project directly corresponds to SDG No. 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG No. 10 (Reduced Inequalities), revealing them through the artistic language of cinema. The title “Second Life” reflects the internal transformation of the characters: their decisions become a point of transition to a new, complex, yet conscious stage, where the rejection of stereotypes opens the possibility for independent choice and personal responsibility.
“For me, the issue of gender inequality is not an abstract problem, but part of the reality I observe. I often encounter how women’s labor is devalued and how women’s opportunities are limited. This project is not only about the protection of rights, but also about equal treatment and respect for everyone’s choice,” notes the author of the project, first-year student of Satbayev University, Tomiris Nazarbayeva.
The project is implemented within ArtLab — a creative educational space where an environment of trust and open expression is formed. Here, students can raise issues that are important to them and not only articulate them, but also work through them in a collective creative process, transforming personal experiences and emotions into meaningful artistic and project-based solutions at the intersection of art and engineering thinking.
The premiere of “Second Life” will take place in May in the format of an open ArtLab screening.
