Cairo International Film Festival 2025 | Eurasia-Kinofest 2026 | X Eurasian Bridge International Film Festival 2026
Best Screenplay, III Eurasia-Kinofest 2026 | Grand Prix, Best Feature Film, X Eurasian Bridge International Film Festival 2026
Set in a remote village in Uzbekistan, the film follows Gulchehra, a woman who spends her days picking cotton to support herself and her ailing mother-in-law. Her husband has left the village to find work abroad, leaving her waiting for his return. When her mother-in-law dies, Gulchehra is left alone in a society shaped by gossip, harsh attitudes and strict traditions. She continues her tiring daily work, with little hope of a better future. Through her quiet struggle, the film portrays a woman's loneliness, the pressures of a male-dominated society and her determination to live with dignity despite the difficulties she faces.
Born in Moscow in 1958, Rashid Malikov is an Uzbek writer and director. A VGIK graduate, he trained in the USA, earning Uzbekistan’s Dustlik Order, he has taught directing at VGIK’s Tashkent branch since 2023. His films include Cotton, Captivity and Fortitude.
