«Women of the Silk Roads» Film - the UNESCO Award Winner
This year UNESCO celebrated women. The 10 films submitted within UNESCO’s category of documentary films «Women in cinema» shed light to important aspects of creativity and struggles in women’s lives. Films included stories of outstanding and remarkable women, who overcame hardships, who changed the course of history through hard work and determination, who fought racial and gender prejudices, or who simply yearned for happiness and love, the UNESCO Almaty official website reads.
All of the films were thought-provoking and raised questions about equality, gender-based stereotypes, discriminatory norms and policies that restrict women's rights around the globe even today. The choice was not easy, so UNESCO decided to recognize three films.
The UNESCO diplomas of recognition went to «Merata, How Mum Decolonized the Screen» by Hepi Meti of New Zealand and «Female Pleasure» by Barbara Miller of Switzerland/Germany.
The UNESCO Almaty Award went to the documentary film Women of the Silk Road by Yassamin Maleknasr.
The prize – a handmade felt carpet shyrdak – produced by Kyrgyz masters of the TUMAR ART. group. The making of these carpets is an ancient tradition closely linked to the everyday life and identity of nomad tribes in Central Asia. However, in the modern globalized world, this traditional art is under threat of disappearing. As such, it symbolizes the importance to safeguard and protect our cultural and natural heritage so that we can transmit this heritage – in its richness and diversity – to our children and the future generations.