Uzbek-Tajik film celebrates shared literary history
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Filmmakers from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan won the Grand Prix at the Toji Somon National Film Awards in Dushanbe for their movie Shining Stars: Jami and Navoi.
The film portrays the 15th-century friendship between Abd al-Rahman Jami, a Persian poet central to Tajik culture, and Alisher Navoi, a poet and statesman honoured in Uzbekistan. Both governments supported the project as a way to emphasize cultural links between the two countries. The film draws on a well-documented relationship.
Historians have preserved over 430 letters exchanged between the two poets, who communicated across languages. Navoi wrote in Turkic while Jami responded in Persian. This exchange, officials noted during a symposium in Tashkent last year, reflects the linguistic diversity of Central Asia. The production involved a collaborative effort in terms of location and cast. Approximately 70% of the filming took place in Uzbekistan, with the remaining 30% in Tajikistan.
The cast was similarly divided, with 60% Uzbek actors and 40% Tajik actors. The project, which cost around $10 million, began planning in late 2021. Jami is considered a significant figure in the Islamic world, known for his Sufi beliefs and social commentary. Navoi is celebrated in Uzbekistan for his role in developing the Uzbek language through his writing in Chagatai Turkic.
