The Crying of Tanbur
The Crying of Tanbur
A true story, The Crying of Tanbur, is a narrative film produced by Anisa Sabiri, an award winning filmmaker and graduate of the New Moscow Film School. Native to rural Tajikistan, she hopes to use her art to shine a light on the history and horrors of the civil war and conflicts that have affected so many in her homeland, but are often forgotten by the rest of the world. Anisa and her team through the support of her generous donors were able to make their vision a reality. They produced the film and since then have received worldwide acclaim having been accepted to eighteen film festivals - from New York, to Seoul, to Iraq.
As Anisa and her team travel across the world to spread their inspiring message, we are asking for your help to cover some of the costs of travel, so that the film can continue to gain traction and shine a light on the history of Tajikistan and the impact of war on children everywhere. The team has been accepted to additional festivals in France - in order to get Anisa and her team there, we need your help.
Furthermore, Anisa and her Team have already completed shooting of their next documentary, this time focused on preserving the beautiful traditions of music in Tajikistan. Though the German embassy has helped them cover the initial costs of filming, the team has a budget of $5K for post production. Please read the synopsis below.
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The Crying of Tanbur Film Stills
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Synopsis of the documentary film
"Rhythms of Lost Time"
Before, music was not only entertaining - it accompanied a person in all of his life cycles, from lullaby to death. A special rhythm of traditional music was a companion, a tuning fork of the soul - either tuning it to a certain harmony, or not letting it fall in the terrestrial world, from which, after the physical death of a person, it was leading him into another world.
The famous British musician Leo Abrahams can not forget the rhythm of a strange music, the record of which was brought by his friend from the distant mountain country to London, explaining to him that this is some funeral melody called "maddo". Since then, 13 years have passed, but Leo could not forget the melody, trying in vain to find analogies in other cultures. Now he decides to go to Tajikistan to understand what he associates with this music - a question that he can not answer logically, sitting in comfortable London.
At this time in the mountain valley of Bartang, his tool continues to make old Jonboz - all his life he spent making tools that perform an important function in the social life of his region - he knows that it was with his ancestors, and continues their business. Johnboz is one of the last custodians of unique knowledge about the tools with which help escorts the soul of the deceased to another world, according to the ancient beliefs of the Tajiks. Can Jonboz answer Leo on a question that tortures a British musician? Or would he seem strange to him? After all, for Johnboz his musical tradition is an ordinary, practical part of life. Leo will continue is journey to the isolated parts of Tajikistan, to meet the other custodians – but all of them are on the verge of leaving this world, and after them there will be no one, because new state laws have ordered them, and Islam puts them outside religion ...
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About Us
My wife and I were fortunate to spend a week with Anisa Sabiri who was our tour guide as we traveled through Tajikistan in the summer of 2017. We were very impressed with Anisa’s knowledge of the rich mosaic of Tajikistan culture and history, coupled with her expansive world view of eastern and western civilization both today and historically.
During our time together, we learned that Anisa had written a film script about the post-Soviet Union break-up and the ensuing Tajikistan civil war. The story is told through the eyes of a young boy whose journalist father was killed on the front line and illustrates the boy’s sudden loss of childhood.The story, its basis in history, and Anisa’s ability to bring life and meaning to it were extremely compelling so that when she stated with conviction that she would create the film with just local fundraising and a bare bones budget, we were motivated to help her. Anisa was able to raise $4,000 in Tajikistan – one of the poorest countries in the world. After returning to the USA we started a fundraiser and attracted $17,000 in donations. Against all odds, and certainly against the directives of the Tajikistan government, Anisa completed the film and has been accepted to 14 international film festivals across the globe – from Europe to Asia to North America. This past November, we were so proud to welcome Anisa to New York City where she won the Young Storyteller of the Year award at the 2018 Imagine This Women’s International Film Festival.
As Anisa and her team travel across the world to spread their inspiring message, we are asking for your help to cover some of the costs of travel, so that the film can continue to gain traction and shine a light on the history of Tajikistan and the impact of war on children everywhere. The team has been accepted to additional festivals in France - in order to get Anisa and her team there, we need your help.
Furthermore, Anisa and her Team have already completed shooting of their next documentary, this time focused on preserving the beautiful traditions of music in Tajikistan. Though the German embassy has helped them cover the initial costs of filming, the team has a budget of $5K for post production. Please read the synopsis below.
In order to get the funds you so kindly donate to Anisa, we are utilizing Western Union Transfers, as few banking systems reliably service her area of Tajikistan.
Thank you for your continued generosity.
