40 Days of Silence

Saodat Ismailova's meditation on the realities of womanhood is so densely enriched in audible indignation that it’s hard not to feel suffocated by the silence. Bibicha (Rushana Sadikova) has decided to take a vow of silence, although it's never clarified exactly why. Through her martyrdom the film explores themes of identity in a society that, whilst deeply rooted in Islam, has been reshaped throughout history by communism. An ethnographical exploration of rural Tajikistan and a study of the intersections between systems of female subjugation, Ismailova's debut uses the introspective dimensions of silence to disorientate the audience, yet the film’s study of female persecution remains universal.