Karakum, 45° in the Shadow

Set against the relentless heat of the Karakum desert, this film follows a close-knit group of gas mine workers whose days are ruled by machinery, quotas, and the sun. The story focuses on their routines, the small kindnesses that keep them going, and the tensions that flare when danger or disagreement interrupts the shift. Personal lives creep into the worksite, secrets and loyalties emerging as the temperature climbs. The desert is almost another character, its emptiness and glare shaping decisions and relationships. The narrative stays grounded in the moment-to-moment life of labor, showing how the men and women cope with exhaustion, pride, and the quiet compromises that hold their community together.

Released in 1983, the film was directed by Khodzha Kuli Narliyev with creative input from Vladimir Sukhorebry. It features performances by Maya-Gozel Aimedova, Vitaliy Medvedev, Elena Drapeko, Ovez Gelenov, and Ata Dovletov, reflecting Soviet era production from the Turkmen SSR.

Commercial performance and distribution details weren't widely reported, and the film did not register notable box office figures outside regional circulation. It circulated mainly through state channels and occasional festival screenings, rather than major international markets.

Regionally, the movie stands out as one of the more visible Turkmen-set films from the Soviet period, notable for putting desert labor and local landscapes on screen. Its imagery of heat, dust, and rigid routines has kept it in university syllabuses and occasional retrospectives concerned with Central Asian cinema and labor representation.

Critical reaction has been mixed, and audience scores are modest, with a small number of votes averaging around the middle. Reviewers often pointed to the film's steady depiction of work and environment, while noting uneven pacing and restrained dramatic arcs. Themes include endurance under harsh conditions, the social cost of industrial labor, comradeship, and how place shapes identity and daily choices.