woman of asian descent looks contemplatively out train window; second image of animals crossing a snowy mountain road

AsiaLENS: AEMS Documentary and Independent Film Series at the Spurlock Museum: The Silk Road of Pop

The Silk Road of Pop
Directed by Sameer Farooq.
Co-directed by Ursula Engel.
Produced by Stijn Deklerck.
2013 / 53 minutes

Post-screening discussion with Liwei Zhang
Department of Political Science, Jilin University, China and VASP Scholar, U of I.

The Silk Road of Pop sketches a unique portrait of the vibrant pop music scene among the Uyghur Muslims in North-West China. Featuring traditional musicians, hip-hop crews, rock stars and dynamic music fans, this documentary taps into the rhythmical zeitgeist of what it means to be young and Uyghur in China, showing how music becomes a liberating element for a minority trying to assert its identity within a repressive environment.

AsiaLENS Film Series

AsiaLENS is a series of free public film screenings and discussion programs—organized by the Asian Educational Media Service (AEMS)/Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies (CEAPS) in collaboration with the Spurlock Museum—presenting recent documentary and independent films on issues reflecting contemporary life in Asia. Local and visiting experts introduce the films and lead audiences in post-screening discussions.

Contact

For further information on this event, contact AEMS (external link) at (217) 333-9597 or .

To request disability-related accommodations for this event, please contact Brian Cudiamat at or (217) 244-5586.