‘Nowruz Film Days’

On 20 March 2021, from Asia Minor to China, millions of people will celebrate the arrival of spring with music, dance and singing. A symbol of rebirth and renewal, Nowruz is cause for much celebrating every year. Since 2019 BOZAR invites its audiences to celebrate Nowruz and discover the rich cultures of Central Asia and its neighbours. This year, unable to meet at BOZAR, we propose to discover contemporary cinema of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan from the comfort of your home.

The cinema from the Central Asian region has steadily found its way to a European public in recent years through many selections on prestigious film festivals. Finding a Kazakh or Kyrgyz film on the other hand in your local cinema is still quite an ordeal. We are therefore happy to be able to present in this year’s Nowruz Film Days four internationally lauded films from the region that demand your attention.  From a man that seeks vengeance to three women on a road trip, there is a lot to discover.

To give context to the programme, film critic and expert on Central Asian cinema Birgit Beumers will go in conversation with the four directors Sharipa Urazbayeva (Kazakhstan), Rashid Malikov (Uzbekistan), Elizaveta Stishova (Kyrgyzstan) and Nosir Saidov (Tajikistan). ​​​​