After  the documentary  "Gerard Depardieu : My Uzbek Dream" was shoot, Arnaud Frilley reveals Uzbekistan, which fascinates with the beauty of its landscapes and cultural richness. Novastan was particularly interested in the role of Uzbeks in the creation of this documentary.

Within the framework of the international Festival of Asian cinema, which took place in Vesule from 1 to 8 February, Arnaud Frilley, director of the documentary "Gerard Depardieu : my Uzbek dream", was able to present his film to the general public. The film premiered in Paris in October 2020 years without film distribution.

Originally conceived in collaboration with Uzbek director Ali Khamraev, the documentary film eventually had to be thought in a different way. " From the first day, Khamrayev and Depardieu did not come to terms  on the film. Ali wanted to make a feature film, and we wanted to make a documentary. In addition, he wanted to shoot Depardieu, as in the era of the New Wave film, but Gerard did not want to shoot like 40 years ago," says Arnaud Frilley to Novastan. Unable to use Ali Khamrayev's script, Arnaud Frilley rethought it and decided to leave more space for spontaneity. The director wanted to show the audience a beautiful story telling about Gerard Depardieu's journey through Uzbekistan. The film takes the viewer to the main tourist points of the country: Khiva, Samarkand, Bukhara, known for their Silk Road past, and at the same time touches on such problematic topics as the situation in Muynak, located next to what remains of the Aral Sea. Nuanced facets throughout the film, Gerard Depardieu gets acquainted with the population Uzbekistan, its culture, customs, religion and traces left by previous civilizations. Accompanied by local guides, he traveled from city to city, introducing the viewer to the little-known history of this country. This documentary highlights the tourist advantages of the country, revealing its diversity: its cultural wealth, its mythical cities and historical relics, the diversity of its landscapes. Although for some the film may seem like an advertisement for tourists, but for Arnaud Frilley this wealth is a reality. Why not show it? How long will it be possible to save this extremely fragile balance? The director refers to the numerous layers of civilizations that have taken root in Uzbekistan with its Sufi Islam, the philosophy of which is used by the authorities to create a new political model. Arnaud Frilley asks, "How many people actually practice Sufi Islam? Today, traditional Islam is much more widespread among the less educated population.

The independence of the country was marked by the searching of spiritual alternative

of Soviet ideology. In this context, Sufism was declared an "exceptional heritage", political leaders wanted to find an alternative to the aggressiveness and terrorism that political Islam seemed to be approaching. In addition, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the President of Uzbekistan, since coming to power in 2016, has made important changes to the new model of society - the "new" Uzbekistan. This development strategy includes various directions, such as reforms in the spiritual and educational spheres aimed at developing a more enlightened society.

The Kyrgyz culture has been greatly influenced by the nomadic heritage. It is reflected in the way a household was run, in customs, and rites. People decorated their homes with items that were both beautiful and practical. The masterpiece of folk creation is the Kyrgyz yurta (yourt, yurt, tent), which was easy to assemble and transport from place to place.