Kazakhstan: Gender violence-themed horror breaks box office records Dastur, which means tradition in Kazakh, grossed $2.2 million in the first week of its release. Joanna Lillis Jan 17, 2024
Kazakhstan: Magic realism meets socialist realism on the Almaty stage Shahmardan Comes Out of the Well addresses a topic still harrowing for Kazakhstan a century on: the famine unleashed when the Soviets embarked on the collectivization of agriculture. Joanna Lillis Dec 22, 2023
Azerbaijani show business navigates state pressures, incentives Members of Azerbaijan's film industry face consequences if they speak ill of the state, while those who stay in line are rewarded handsomely. Heydar Isayev Mar 17, 2023
A decent man: Living through stagnation, war and peace in Georgia Our chief Caucasus correspondent reflects on the life and radically changing times of his father, who passed away last month. Giorgi Lomsadze Feb 17, 2023
Kazakhstan: Speculation swirls around Bloody January movie The way the filmmakers and authorities are working so closely has given rise to questions about who exactly is backing this movie, and why. Almaz Kumenov Feb 9, 2023
Perspectives | Turkmenistan forgets Memory Day As the government rewrites history to avoid mentioning a Russian atrocity, Turkmen are taking their reminiscences online. Oguljamal Yazliyeva Jan 12, 2023
Azerbaijani minority activists strive to keep their languages alive They face obstacles, though, including globalization and an education system that gives little time to minority languages. Heydar Isayev Dec 7, 2022
Kyrgyzstan: The exiled Russians offering a Red Roof haven Part of the mission is to ensure that Russians engage constructively with people in their new home. Ayzirek Imanaliyeva Nov 18, 2022
Azerbaijan’s Aliyeva quits UNESCO post The organization has been facing accusations of political bias in its investigations (or lack thereof) into cultural heritage in Karabakh. Ulkar Natiqqizi Nov 16, 2022
Georgia’s most heavily guarded wine The legendary semi-sweet Khvanchkara is an international brand – and used to be an easy target for counterfeiters. Now the police are stepping in. Giorgi Lomsadze Oct 27, 2022
Friday Night Fever: Salsa defies sedate Tajik capital Dushanbe’s Latin dancers find meaning in something new. Thijs Broekkamp Aug 26, 2022
Perspectives | In Baku, mapping change and memory A project to archive one of the Azerbaijani capital's oldest neighborhoods interrupts efforts to wipe its memory away. Mehelle Project staff Aug 25, 2022
Kazakh-language film content makes progress against Russian headwinds One explanation for the continued dominance of Russian lies in Kazakhstan’s rural-urban divide. Almaz Kumenov Jun 23, 2022
Afghanistan: The Taliban’s first fall and an opening for Tajik journalists Journalists from Tajikistan played vital roles for many foreign news agencies. Text by a Tajik journalist, Photos by Parviz Amirjonov May 20, 2022
After the Patriarch: Almaty theater seeks post-shock therapy in García Márquez Nazarbayev was everywhere, but never mentioned by name. Daniyar Moldabekov Feb 8, 2022