The Shepherd

It seems as if the work of Yusup Razykov is the only cultural contact between Uzbekistan and the rest of the world. His films show contemporary life in the post-Soviet era in this country in central Asia. Little by little, Razikov touches on these subjects that involve people in this changing society. This is not the easiest of tasks; many subjects are still taboo. This film is about immigration and the clash between the traditional Uzbek way of life and changes as a result of worldwide developments. Those who are familiar with Jamila, a story by Chingiz Aitmatov, will soon make a comparison with the start of the film. According to a central Asian tradition, the younger brother is responsible for the wife of his brother in his absence. So too 13-year-old Jamshed. Lack of work made his brother leave for the West to earn money. Jamshed does what he should do, even though he dreams of things that boys of his age much prefer to do. He regards his sister-in-law and his duty to her as a burden. The Shepherd is filmed in the beautiful Uzbek mountain region of Baisun. The images give a poetic tint to this realistic story. Razikov tells a small yet vulnerable story in which not much happens. He is above all an observer of the feelings that are felt in the countryside of Uzbekistan. (LC)

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