Bishkek, Oct. 9, 2026 /Kabar/. The Kyrgyz historical film *Kurmanjan Datka* (2014) was the subject of a presentation by French historian Dr. Xavier Hallez at an international academic conference in Paris.
According to the culture ministry, the conference, titled "Cinematic (Hi)stories in/of Central Asia: New Perspectives," took place on October 9. Xavier Hallez, representing the French Institute for Central Asian Studies, examined the film by director Sadyk Sher-Niyaz as an example of national historical cinema.
The researcher paid particular attention to the screenwriting process and the impact of political decisions on the film's final version.
It is noted that *Kurmanjan Datka* continues to attract interest from the international academic community. Between 2021 and 2025, studies dedicated to the film were published in academic journals such as *Laboratorium: Russian Review of Social Research*, *Galactica Media: Journal of Media Studies*, *Uluslararası Medeniyet Çalışmaları Dergisi*, and *BURANA — Türkoloji Araştırmaları Dergisi*.
The ministry noted that the discussion of the film at the international conference in Paris confirms the enduring academic interest in Kyrgyz cinema, as well as the history and cultural heritage of Central Asia.
