Nikah: A New Uyghur Film

About the Event

Join the Sigur Center for Asian Studies' Uyghur Studies Initiative for a film screening and discussion with the directors of the film Nikah! This film is an important part of the Uyghur diaspora's artwork discussing the ongoing crisis in Xinjiang and how it uniquely impacts women.

Dilber is 27, and her mother wants to quickly find a husband for her — especially now that her younger sister Rena is settling into newly married life. But it’s 2017, a time when Uyghur people are being arrested without people knowing why. And one of those detained is Rena’s husband, questioned and held by the local district committee.

Subtle and carefully observed, Nikah is a powerful mid-length feature that captures the uncertainty of a young woman at a personal crossroads, while an immense tragedy of internment unfolds. As tensions rise and fears mount, Dilber’s regular FaceTime chats with a friend in Paris convince her that her best hope lies in marrying a young Uyghur man in France. But will that be enough?

Join the Sigur Center, the Inter Asian and Altaic Studies at Harvard University, and the Asia Society's ChinaFile to discuss the film with the director.

About the Speaker

Dr. Mukaddas Mijit

Mukaddas Mijit is an ethnomusicologist, filmmaker, dancer, and choreographer, born in Urumchi in the Uyghur region. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, working on Uyghur artistic reaction in the diaspora after the human rights crisis in the Uyghur region. Nikah is her first medium-length film.

Bastien Ehzouan

Bastien Ehouzan is co-founder of KIDAM, a film production company based in Bordeaux and Paris, founded in 2010. He has partnered with the production company L’Endroit since 2018. Nikah is his first medium-length film.

Host or Publisher Sigur Center for Asian Studies at GW