Jamilia 2018
Distributed by Icarus Films, 32 Court St., 21st Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 800-876-1710
Produced by Laurence Rebouillon
Directed by Aminatou Echard
DVD, color, 84 min.
General Adult
Asians, Culture, Family Relations, Domestic Violence, Interpersonal Relations, Spouse Abuse, Women's Rights
Date Entered: 10/26/2018
Reviewed by Irina Stanishevskaya, University of Alabama at Birmingham LibrariesIn 1958, Chingiz Aĭtmatov, a Soviet and Kyrgyz writer, published the novel Jamilia (title variations in some versions of translations from Russian and/or Kyrgyz languages: Jamila, Djamilia, or Zhamiĭla, as well as the writer’s name: Chingiz Aytmatov, or Tchinguiz Aïtmatov). In the novel, the author highlights a traditional, yet officially prohibited, marital practice involving bride kidnapping, and some other decriminalized custom treatments of women by telling the story of Jamilia, a young married women, living in a small village in the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic during World War II. An open-minded Jamilia, who undergoes and experiences social and cultural transformations, rejects these centuries-old traditions and fights for her own love and destiny.
The filmmakers use the story of the literary heroine, Jamilia, in their documentary as a way to discuss the hardship of being a woman during that time and the current state of women’s rights in the Kyrgyz Republic.
Throughout the documentary, the audience is presented with a collection of images (although not always a good quality) of different women and settings, and behind-the-scenes interviews. During these interviews, the women discuss their opinions and attitudes about the stereotypical gender roles, marriage practices, and social pressures in the male dominated country. One of the most shocking revelations unveiled by these interviews is that kidnapping-based marriages are still present in the contemporary world. The interviews are in Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Russian, and English languages with English subtitles.
The film is recommended for individuals, who want to learn more about the societal and cultural transitions of Kyrgyz women. Also, it can be used by educators to illustrate the violence surrounding women’s rights, and gender inequality in the past and the present.
Awards
- Youth Public Award, IsReal Film Festival, Sardinia, Italy, 2018