This screening will be introduced by director Sean McDonnell.
Led by acclaimed actor Dominic West, Beyond the Silk Road is a feature-length documentary exploring the heart of Kyrgyzstan - a hidden gem of Central Asia. Through encounters with traders, herders and highland farmers, the film reveals how the ancient Silk Road and the nomadic way of life continue to shape the country’s identity. West begins in the south at a high-altitude stone caravanserai in the Tian Shan mountains, once a vital Silk Road stop, before meeting a modern-day yak farmer whose animals, essential to trade for centuries, remain central to highland life today.
Traveling north to Bishkek, West joins adventurer Alexandra Tolstoy at Osh Bazaar, a vibrant market rich in
colour, trade and tradition. He then reunites with old friend and The Wire co-star Clarke Peters for a breathtaking horseback expedition into the western mountains, living alongside nomadic farmers and witnessing a timeless way of life increasingly threatened by climate change.
As the trio experience the spectacle of Kok Boru - Kyrgyzstan’s national horseback sport - the journey becomes a profound reflection on resilience, hospitality and connection, leaving the explorers with a deep sense of gratitude for the people and landscapes they encounter.
