The book is a memoir of the childhood, youth and early adulthood of Layli Galievna Galimzhanova (1924-2017), Honored Artist of Kazakhstan, member of the Union of Cinematographers of the USSR, actress, screenwriter, organizer of national cinema and television.

The book «Четыре тетради» was prepared and published by members of L. G. Galimzhanova's family in 2024 for her 100th anniversary.

The presentation was attended by representatives of the creative and scientific intelligentsia of the city of Almaty, associates and colleagues of L. G. Galimzhanova, the media, and family members.

From left to right: Honored Worker of the Diplomatic Service of the Republic of Kazakhstan Maksat Nurmagambetov, Professor of KazNU Laila Akhmetova, President of the Kazakhstan Press Club Asel Karaulova, President of the International D. A. Kunayev Foundation Eldar Kunayev and Director of the M. O. Auezov House-Museum Diar Kunayev

«Четыре тетради» by Layli Galimzhanova is a unique testimony of a bygone era, which she left to her descendants. These memoirs cover the time period from the author's birth to 1947. We hope that this book will be interesting even to those who did not know her very closely. In conversations with me, she admitted that she always wanted to become a writer, screenwriter, playwright. But fate decreed otherwise. «By publishing these diaries, we wanted to partially fulfill her dream of a literary career,» noted Asel Karaulova, the publisher of the book and granddaughter of L. G. Galimzhanova, in her opening remarks.

The presentation was attended by professor of the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University Sagymbay Kozybayev («The Importance of L. Galimzhanova's Memoirs for the Study of the History of Kazakhstan»), poet, writer, translator, screenwriter and laureate of the State Prize Bakhytzhan Kanapyanov («L. G. Galimzhanova and Kazakhfilm»).

The speeches of professional historians were also received with great interest. Thus, the Executive Director of the Association of Graduates of the Kazakh National University named after Al-Farabi, candidate of historical sciences Kulgazira Baltabaeva made a report on the topic «The Family of L. G. Galimzhanova in Light of the Life of the Muslim Clergy of Kazakhstan in the 1920s-1930s» based on declassified archival materials of the State Commission for the Full Rehabilitation of  Victims of Political Repression. In the family of Lyayli Galievna during the Great Terror (1937-1938) were repressed in Alma-Ata her father Galiulla, her father's younger brother, former Alashevite Fayzulla Galimzhanov and in Ufa - her grandfather on the maternal side - the famous theologian, qazi (judge) of the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims (CSAM) of Russia Magdiy Makulov.

PhD candidate, postgraduate student of the Eurasian Studies program at Nazarbayev University, co-editor of the book «Четыре тетради» and great-grandson of L. G. Galimzhanova Arslan Akanov gave a report «L. G. Galimzhanova as Minister of Culture of the Kazakh SSR». The participants of the presentation listened with great attention to the video recording of the speech by Harvard University graduate, PhD in history, professor of Nazarbayev University and co-editor of the book «Четыре тетради» Mikhail Akulov. The topic of his report «Diaries as a source of late Soviet Kazakhstan» directs researchers and readers to search for answers to many questions of Soviet history and practice and perception by contemporaries who are no longer among us. Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Academician Nazira Kulmanova, diplomat and President of the International Foundation D. A. Kunaev Eldar Kunaev, famous journalist Valery Zhandauletov, from the publishing company «RUAN» Anastasia Taukelova and the son of Lyayli Galievna Adil Karaulov took an interested part in the discussion of the reports. Let us recall some details of the biography of Lyayli Galievna - the daughter of the Chairman of the Akmola Provincial Court Galiulla Galimzhanov (1888 - September 17, 1938). Despite a difficult childhood, having been orphaned early - first Galimzhanova's mother died, then, in 1938, at the height of Stalin's repressions, L. G. Galimzhanova's father and grandfather were repressed (later both were rehabilitated due to the lack of corpus delicti) - Lyailya Galievna successfully graduated from school and in 1942 entered AUSIC, when it was evacuated to Alma-Ata. Having successfully graduated from the institute in 1947 (workshop of the legendary People's Artist of the USSR Boris Babochkin), L. G. Galimzhanova returned to Alma-Ata, where she began working as an actress at the Theater of Young Spectators. In 1948, she starred in the film «Golden Horn». In the late 1950s, she was invited to become one of the organizers of Kazakh television. In 1959, L. G. Galimzhanova was appointed Deputy Minister of Culture of the Kazakh SSSR, and two years later - Minister. During the «Khrushchev thaw», when after many years of Stalin's repressions the shoots of a unique national culture began to emerge, L. G. Galimzhanova worked tirelessly to improve the creative and living conditions of representatives of the Kazakh intelligentsia, looked after creative groups, and helped them grow professionally. In the 1970s, Lyailya Galievna held the position of head of the culture department of the Administration of the Council of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR. In 1975-77, she worked as deputy chairman of the State Committee of the Kazakh SSR for Cinematography. In 1977-81, she held the post of head of this committee. She led the national culture in the years when the films «Kyz Zhibek», «The End of the Ataman», «Behind Us - Moscow», «Song of Manshuk», "Trans-Siberian Express" were shot. The ensembles «Young Ballet of Alma-Ata» and «Gulder», the group «Dos-Mukasan» thundered on the All-Union and foreign stages. During these years, a studio of variety and circus art, the Kazakh Circus, the complex of the film studio «Kazakhfilm», dozens of new cinemas throughout the republic were built. Lyailya Galievna was a candidate for membership in the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan (1961-71), a deputy of the Supreme Council of the Kazakh SSR of the 6th and 10th convocations. As a member of the government of Kazakhstan (in 1961-67 as the Minister of Culture and in 1977-81 as the Chairperson of the State Committee for Cinematography), L. G. Galimzhanova made a significant contribution to the development of Kazakh culture. Lyailya Galievna was the first Kazakh woman to hold the post of chief director of Kazakh television (1957-59) and one of the first graduates of the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography (AUSIC) from Kazakhstan.

At the presentation of the book «Четыре тетради» the general idea of ​​the importance of writing and preparing memoirs for national history as a whole was voiced. This book includes memoirs and interviews of Lyayli Galievna, which reflect the complex and sometimes tragic history of Kazakhstan and the Kazakh people of the Soviet period, the fates of outstanding representatives of the creative intelligentsia. The book will certainly find its wide range of readers.

Taking this opportunity, we thank the graduates of the Faculty of Journalism of KazNU Asel Karaulova and Laila Akhmetova for the materials provided.

Press Service of the Association of KazNU Graduates