Meet Zhanerke Koilybayeva | Screenwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Zhanerke Koilybayeva and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zhanerke, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I come from a patriarchal society where women have to follow culture, get married, and shouldn’t work. I put all my money and my hopes into becoming a professional screenwriter. I don’t want to return to my country after graduation without any luck in the film industry. The US government allows international students to stay one year after graduation, and it is my chance to show myself from the best side to get a job and work in industry. I don’t have much time.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I write and direct my own films. I write what I want, and I know how to produce it. I am a unique storyteller with strong skills and a variety of great stories that touch every person’s soul. I have been writing since my childhood and have given it to my friends to read. It is not always easy in this industry for women because when I go to networking events, there are 90% men, and I don’t know if they ask for my contacts for projects or if they want to ask me out. It makes me upset that I meet these situations every day. But I am glad that there are more and more women becoming filmmakers and supporting each other.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Even though I am an agnostic, I would’ve taken my friends to different churches, because in LA they are so big and beautiful, and it’s a nice place to network. I would’ve taken my friends to eat tacos in Hollywood corners; we would’ve definitely gone to South Central to see the realities of LA. I would’ve taken them to hang out in Burbank to meet celebrities and to stores such as TJ Max and Ross to buy stuff with discounts.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
American women deserve huge credit and recognition for my story. The way I looked at them from the screen of my TV in Kazakhstan to the real beautiful successful women I met in the US during the 2 years I was here. Thank you for inspiring women all over the world and teaching us that we are powerful and don’t need men to achieve our goals and be happy.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewitchmarkweb/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhanerke-koilybayeva-756861261/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Z_screenwriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chanel.koil

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@TheWitchMark?si=NBrZJh5CHrbROfM3

Image Credits
Kushagra Jain