UPDATE: The film’s producer (Altysh Film) recently uploaded the full film to YouTube with English subtitles! You can watch it here.
Kyrgyzstan’s cinema is not the most famous in the world. Its films only rarely garner international attention, but those that do are striking and extremely unique. In a new occasional feature, I’ll be blogging about some of Kyrgyzstan’s most famous films, and how you can watch them at home. First up: Kurmanjan Datka: Queen Of The Mountains.
Kurmanjan Datka (marketed in English-speaking markets as “Kurmanjan Datka: Queen of the Mountains,” or just “Queen of the Mountains”) is Kyrgyzstan’s tour de force in the historical epic genre. The most expensive film ever produced in Kyrgyzstan, it cost between $1.3 and $1.5 million dollars, and employed 10,000 people over the three years of its production. Because of the patriotic significance of the film, the government financed a significant portion of the budget. Written and directed by Sadyk Sher-Niyaz, it stars Elina Abai Kyzy in the titular role (which is shared with three other actresses), and was Kyrgyzstan’s submission to the 2014 Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.
It was filmed entirely on location, both in Kyrgyzstan and in Russia, where parts of St. Petersburg were shut down for filming (something unheard of, even for Russian films). This truth to setting, itself a love letter to Kyrgyzstan, is the backdrop for one of the most important stories of the history of modern Kyrgyzstan.
First, let’s take a look at the trailer:
The film tells the story of Kurmanjan Datka, who, along with Manas, is one of the two main historical figures who are seen as the founders of modern Kyrgyzstan. Born Kurmanjan Mamatbai Kyzy, Kurmanjan Datka was born in 1811 in Osh into a wealthy family, but she drew ire from many when she fled her arranged marriage on her wedding day (likely around 1828 or 1829). Leaving an arranged marriage, even today, is uncommon here, and at that time was even more shameful. A few years later, she fell in love and, in 1832, married Alymbek Datka, from whom she acquired the title “Datka” (which means “righteous ruler” in Kyrgyz). This alone has made her a hero for many women in Kyrgyzstan, and something of a respected feminist figure across the region.
Together, they ruled over the Andijon province of the Khokand Khanate, which included their homeland of the Alay Mountains. However, in 1862, Alymbek Datka was assassinated in an attempted palace coup. The government of the Khokand Khanate in Khokand and Bukhara chose to recognize Kurmanjan Datka as leader. Her leadership included political and military, and she was something of a chief diplomat for the Kyrgyz people.
This was an unusual time for Central Asia. The Tsarist Russian army was pushing south, and many in the Khokand Khanate were fighting against the advancing army, including Kurmanjan Datka’s sons.
However, Kurmanjan Datka could see that they were outmatched by the Russians. And, through the amount of respect she had garnered, she persuaded them to not fight, and to work to continue their lives as a colony of Tsarist Russia.
At the climax of the film, the Tsarist Russians arrest two of her sons for their role in an illegal smuggling operation, and the older is sentenced to death. In order to preserve the relationship with the Tsarist Russians, and to not sacrifice the future of the Kyrgyz, she allows her son to be executed. In some versions of the story (including the film), it is said that she attended the execution herself, an enormous personal sacrifice for the greater good of the people of Kyrgyzstan.
Kurmanjan Datka died in 1906, but remains a role model and an important figure in Kyrgyzstan. Some have even compared her to other influential female politicians in Asia, such as Indira Gandhi, Benazir Bhutto, and Aung San Suu Kyi. Today, her statue and image are found throughout Kyrgyzstan.
The film runs 135 minutes and can be found on YouTube and at specialty video stores. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find a version of the film with English subtitles, but the versions on YouTube have subtitles in Russian (as most films here do). UPDATE: The film’s producers have uploaded the full film to YouTube with English subtitles! Even if you can’t understand the dialogue, the film provides an incredible view into late-19th Century Kyrgyz life and culture, and a chance to practice your Kyrgyz, identify Kyrgyz hats and see yurts!
Let me know what you think in the comments!
Kurmanjan Datka: Queen of the Mountains is copyright 2014 Altysh Film.