Ikram Nurmehmet: Travails of Uyghur cinematography in the People’s Paradise

In Balancing What Can Be Said with What Can Only Be Implied, Shelly Kraicer explores the cinematic themes of young Uyghur filmmaker Ikram Nurmehmet, imprisoned in Xinjiang since 2023, likely due to having studied in Turkey: It is always difficult for what China calls “ethnic minority” (i.e. non-Han Chinese) filmmakers to make the films they … Continue reading Ikram Nurmehmet: Travails of Uyghur cinematography in the People’s Paradise →

Uyghur Film-maker Who Studied in Turkey Prosecuted in China

In Uyghur film-maker claims he was tortured by authorities in China, the Guardian reports that Ikram Nurmehmet, a director known for his Uyghur protagonists in films such as The Elephant in the Car, recently had his day in court in Ürümqi: “I was held in a dark room for 20 days and physically tortured,” Nurmehmet reportedly said during the … Continue reading Uyghur Film-maker Who Studied in Turkey Prosecuted in China →

Uyghur Cineast Mukaddis Mijit on her new film, “Nikah”

. . . il existait par exemple de très nombreux lieux sacrés qui, d’un village à l’autre et même au fin fond des montagnes, constituaient une sorte de réseau spirituel. Des lieux importants pour les femmes qui, dans cette société patriarcale, pouvaient s’y retrouver – pour demander un enfant, résoudre un conflit, etc. J’ai voulu … Continue reading Uyghur Cineast Mukaddis Mijit on her new film, “Nikah” →

La littérature tibétaine comme le cinéma est en deuil

Bilingual author and cineast Pema Tseden passed away on May 8, 2023. Writes his French translator Brigitte Duzan: C’était une rumeur sourde, venant de l’autre bout de la terre, portée par le vent, dans le petit matin gris, Pema est mort, Pema est mort… Incrédules, nous n’arrivions pas à y croire et nous avions tort. … Continue reading La littérature tibétaine comme le cinéma est en deuil →

“Tibet Code”: China’s New Imaginary

In Inventing Chinese Mass Tourism to Tibet, we see the creative marketing of China's Tibet moving into high gear: The most recent and most spectacular staging of Tibetan history and culture, specifically intended for tourist consumption, was announced in 2013. Three mass entertainment companies combined in 2013 to turn the best selling Chinese fantasy book … Continue reading “Tibet Code”: China’s New Imaginary →