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Kennan Institute Central Asian Cinema Series

The Kennan Institute is proud to partner with George Washington University's Central Asia Program in hosting our Central Asian Cinema Series. Each film in this series in this series considers the role of history and memory in creating a multifaceted image of the region in the global arena.

Join us this fall for our first two events, featuring films from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. 

Islomkhodja (2018) – Uzbekistan
Directed by Jakhongir Akhmedov

This film travels back to Uzbekistan at the turn of the twentieth century, as a young researcher investigates the mysterious death of Islomkhodja. Grand Vizier to two of the last Khivan Khans, Islomkhodja advocated for educational, economic, and cultural reforms that threatened the ruling elite. With lush historical detail and sweeping cinematography, this epic drama based on true events was filmed on location in Ichan Kala and will transport you to the fabled land of Khiva.

Centaur (2016) – Kyrgyzstan
Directed by Aktan Arym Kubat

Shot with technical virtuosity in the steppes of Central Asia, Centaur draws on the Kyrgyz proverb that horses are “the wings of humankind.” The film, both directed by and starring Aktan Arym Kubat, testifies to the schism of contemporary Kyrgyzstan, caught between the worlds of modern commerce and traditional mythology. A recipient of the Art Cinema Award at the Berlin Film Festival and of the Snow Leopard Best Actor Award at the Los Angeles Asian World Film Festival, Centaur will be followed by a discussion with Central Asian cinema scholars from George Washington and Georgetown universities.

Continue to follow this page for updates on our spring programming, which will feature films from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.

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Kennan Institute

The Kennan Institute is the premier US center for advanced research on Russia and Eurasia and the oldest and largest regional program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The Kennan Institute is committed to improving American understanding of Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the surrounding region though research and exchange.  Read more