NR | 56m | Drama | 2023
Prior to 2017, an older Uyghur sister like Dilber would likely face social embarrassment if her younger sister married before she did. Starting that year, such spinsterhood became much more perilous, because more and more unwed Uyghur women were forced to marry ethnic Han Chinese.
This was part of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s program of cultural and racial genocide in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (also known as East Turkestan). East Turkestan was not very “autonomous” even before 2017. Dilber’s need for a husband takes on a sense of urgency in filmmakers Mukaddas Mijit and Bastien Ehouzan’s short feature film “Nikah.”
In Western nations, nobody would consider Dilber (Guzalnur Uchqun) an “old maid.” Perhaps some elders in the embattled Uyghur community might see her that way, but her parents are primarily concerned with the possibility of a forced Han marriage. Unfortunately, she faces a rather perverse Catch-22. She needs to get married quickly, but all Muslim ceremonies, including the “nikah” wedding service, are prohibited under new regulations, intended to criminalize any form of Muslim Uyghur religious practice.
Fortunately for Dilber’s younger sister Rena (Dilfuze Yakup), their family managed to stage her nikah right on the cusp of the crackdown. Nevertheless, the occupying CCP authorities detain her husband Dolqun shortly after she moves into his household. Dilber hypothesizes his crime might be excessive worship at the mosque.
As the state repression escalates, Dilber reluctantly considers any potential husband, hoping to find one in a position to help her emigrate. Her expatriate friend Gulnur (Mijit), a dancer based in Paris, might know a nice fellow who would suit Dilber’s purposes. But arranging a proper and legal nikah will challenge both families.
A lot of impressive work went into “Nikah” that will remain uncredited, at least for the time being. A significant number of cast and crew members opted to work anonymously or under pseudonyms, like “Z.S.,” one of the supporting players. It is easy to understand why.
On the surface, “Nikah” is a simple drama about two sisters and their respective weddings. Like any typical person, Dilber never looks very far beyond her own life and family. Nevertheless, Mijit and Ehouzan constantly show how CCP policies intrude into the everyday aspects of Uyghur society.
Authentic Portrayal
Every frame of “Nikah” rings with authenticity, for many reasons. Urumqi-born Mijit is an academically trained ethnomusicologist, who performs traditional Uyghur dance and music on professional stages; she thoroughly understands the cultural traditions at risk of erasure. Although not filmed on-location in the tightly controlled and monitored Xinjiang, the “nonprofessional” cast (including Mijit) lend further authenticity. They are depicting, at enormous personal risk, their lives as they truly live them, under CCP oppression.
Uchqun’s performance as Dilber is quietly down-to-earth, but deeply compelling. She eloquently conveys the character’s complexities. As a Uyghur woman, she is somewhat modern in her sensibilities, yet she still respects the faith and customs of her family and people. Obviously, this is a delicate balancing act, made even more difficult by CCP policies. Yakup also poignantly expresses Rena’s justified concern for both her husband and her unwed sister.
In “Nikah,” Mijit and Ehouzan capture a uniquely tragic moment in time—the point at which the CCP turned Xinjiang into a dystopian open-air prison. By theatrical standards, the 56-minute “Nikah” is short, but it is powerful, and still qualifies as a feature according to the guidelines of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Regardless of length, Mijit and Ehouzan harness several remarkable performances from a genuinely courageous ensemble to expose the crimes against humanity currently happening in Xinjiang.
Their restrained, humanist approach eschews sensationalism, but the conclusion will truly haunt viewers. Very highly recommended for both the family drama and its pressing timeliness.
