By Leigh Iacobucci
#Enough Kyrgyzstan
In a country where domestic violence is on the rise and conservative religious groups are gaining traction, #Enough Kyrgyzstan dives into the world of fearless youth activist and Kyrgyz pop star Zere Asylbek, as she speaks out against the injustices facing Kyrgyz women. Despite death threats and being labelled as an ‘Agent of the West’, this portrait of Zere and her family explores the power of social media, popular music, and street protests as a way to shift a cultural mindset.
Section : Impact Days
Country : Kyrgyzstan
Original language : Kyrgyz
Director
Leigh Iacobucci (Switzerland)Producers
Véronique Vergari (Switzerland)Luna films
Completion
May 2024
Impact Statement
#Enough Kyrgyzstan seeks to amplify the existing #Enough movement within Kyrgyzstan and across the greater Central Asia region. By building on Zere’s existing social media presence and similar platforms in Kyrgyzstan, we wish to draw awareness to existing forums and safe spaces in the country where women can express themselves openly and find ways to support one another.
We want people around the world to witness life in Kyrgyzstan, through the eyes of a young woman activist and pop star singer, and what it means to have no freedom of speech.
Impact Goals
- To encourage women to support one another and to reduce the stigma of speaking out about abuse or injustice.
- To raise funds for women's crisis centres in Kyrgyzstan.
- To develop a plan to ensure protection for Zere and her family in Kyrgyzstan.
- To reach audiences outside of Central Asia to create awareness about the struggles of women in Kyrgyzstan.
Impact Strategy
- Hire a Kyrgyz Impact Producer to develop an in-country campaign aligned with existing initiatives addressing gender-based violence ( e.g. “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence” campaign).
- Develop community screenings for women’s groups in partnership with existing Kyrgyz NGOs, where women can have a safe space for discussion afterwards and receive information about available resources.
- Make additional subtitled versions for audiences in neighbouring Central Asian countries.
- Create a website in English, Kyrgyz and Russian, reachable by a QR code at the end of the film, to share resources available in Kyrgyzstan and offer foreigners a way to donate to existing programs.
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