Sicko is screening as part of the 2026 Fantasia International Film Festival.

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“New day. New opportunities.”

These words open Sicko. It is something of a tagline for Aitore Zholdaskali’s film, in that what the viewer finds as they step into the world of the two central characters—the married couple Azamat (Ayan Utepbergen) and Tansholpan (Dilnaz Kurmangali)—is a rapidly warping sense of what the word “opportunity” means.

Another keyword here could be “desperation,” as the two characters find themselves in desperate need of money. Aza, a ride-share driver, crashes his car the same day Tancho finds out that she is unexpectedly pregnant. In order to keep the baby, pay off Aza’s debts, and continue affording basic necessities, they need to find cash somewhere. Unfortunately, this comes in the form of a knee-jerk lie that Aza tells to ward off his mother (one of the multiple individuals to whom he owes money). Aza lies to his family about Tancho’s health, claiming she has stage 3 cancer. Tancho goes along with the lie, and the two concoct a social media campaign to raise funds for her (nonexistent) cancer treatment.

Sicko’s is a story that would be diabolical if it weren’t for the characters involved in the creation of the grift. And without spoiling anything, diabolical things ultimately occur. At first, however, Continue reading Sicko — Fantasia Festival 2026 Movie Review →