Zere is a pop musician with an activist soul. Not uncommon in the world of pop music, especially in the 21st century. Yet Zere is from Kyrgyzstan, a country where women’s rights remain deeply contested. Director Leigh Iacobucci chronicles Zere’s musical journey despite backlash in A Free Daughter of Free Kyrgyzstan. Premiering at the Slamdance Film Festival, Iacobucci’s documentary is a powerful call to action not only for Kyrgyzstan but for the world to end domestic violence.
A Free Daughter of Free Kyrgyzstan explores many themes through Zere’s story. Gender roles, female empowerment, slut shaming, and censorship are just the start as the government grows more oppressive in the wake of her popularity. To further validate Zere’s plight, the documentary begins as Kyrgyzstan attempts to ban any music deemed “immoral.” But Zere’s career began with backlash. She went viral with her first song, speaking out against the epidemic of domestic violence in her country. As tensions rise and political action continues, the line between pop musician and criminal blurs.
An old Kyrgyzstan saying, “women are said to be lower than grasses and quieter than water,” is repeated early in the film. Iacobucci and Zere juxtapose this statement throughout the film, as Daughter of Free Kyrgyzstan displays vibrant pop music and lush, socially aware music videos. It’s the rebel-with-a-cause story, but interwoven with the real-world politics of misogyny. Few interviews interrupt the story, as Iacobucci instead adopts a cinema vérité observer approach, letting the marches, arrests, and music speak for themselves. Daughter of Free Kyrgyzstan reads like a character piece, but it’s also a cultural study and a rallying cry for change, with Zere at the epicenter.
Slamdance has always been a haven for unique and innovative documentaries. Holy Frit won the audience prize for a kinetic film about the largest stained-glass window. “I’m George Lucas: A Connor Ratliff Story” showcased quirk and offbeat humor with a heart, while keeping its finger on the pulse of pop culture. And Sweetheart Deal conveyed empathy and nuance in its portrayal of sex work. A Free Daughter of Free Kyrgyzstan carries on that tradition of innovation and spirit of Slamdance by taking an often-unheard voice and amplifying it. The film’s place at Slamdance not only elevates the documentary but also draws more international attention to the Kyrgyz government and Zere’s activism.
Clocking in at just over 60 minutes, A Free Daughter of Free Kyrgyzstan is a lean documentary. The story is constantly moving and giving new wrinkles to Zere’s experience. Lacobucci balances the global issues of inequality with the street-level, allowing Zere’s artistry to shine in her activism. If the film falters, it does so in its brevity. Iacobucci ends on a call to action, but there is so much more to Zere’s story and to the layers of the political turmoil in Kyrgyzstan. But perhaps that speaks to the arc of Free Kyrgyzstan—more than a documentary, but the start of a conversation. Maybe it’s more than a call to action, but about a call toward tangible solutions.
