Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT1178
2008-09-05 10:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN BEGINS TO REDISCOVER CINEMA... AND
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001178
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN;
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SCUL SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN BEGINS TO REDISCOVER CINEMA... AND
BUILDS MORE MARBLE BUILDINGS
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001178
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN;
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SCUL SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN BEGINS TO REDISCOVER CINEMA... AND
BUILDS MORE MARBLE BUILDINGS
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY. A former Soviet movie theater has reopened
as the first dedicated, modern cinema in post-Independence
Turkmenistan. Because of the wide availability of cheap
pirated DVDs, video rental remains the most popular form of
movie watching. Only a handful of people regularly attend
the theater, but numbers are expected to rise now that summer
has ended and word-of-mouth begins to spread. The director
of the theater dreams of working in one of the large marble
movie theaters being built through a government initiative
designed to support cinema. However, he expressed deep
concern over the financial viability and use-value of these
new theaters, which will probably not even be able to procure
movie reels. While cinema slowly gains popularity, most of
the state-led construction is just a vanity project rather
than a true initiative to promote the arts. END SUMMARY.
A WHOLE NEW WORLD
3. (SBU) In June 2008, the former Soviet movie theater "Mir"
in the central part of Ashgabat reopened as the "Parahat"
complex ("Parahat" is the Turkmen translation of "Mir", or
"world"). The complex specializes in banquet halls for
wedding celebrations, but a small side chamber houses the
first dedicated movie theater to open in Turkmenistan since
independence in 1991.
4. (SBU) Batyr, an ethnic Turkmen, is the operator and
manager of the small theater, which seats a modest 50 people
and features a modern surround sound system and big screen.
The entrance fee is 20,000 manat (less than $1.50),with
showings almost every day at 7pm and 9pm. He acquires the
latest movies from friends and contacts in Russia, who ship
him the DVD's by airplane. In contrast to the existing
'movie theaters' in Ashgabat, which are really more like DVD
cafs that play pirated discs, Batyr only buys licensed,
professional Russian translations in high definition.
5. (SBU) So far, only a handful of people, most of them
young couples, regularly go to the Parahat movie theater.
After independence, cinemas around the country were shut
down. Today, movie rentals are hugely popular in
Turkmenistan, especially in Ashgabat, but few express the
desire to go to the cinema. Batyr predicts more and more
people will start attending in September, both because of
word-of-mouth publicity and people coming back from summer
vacation.
PIRATES OF THE CASPIAN
6. (SBU) Pirated copies of the latest American movies are
widely available almost immediately after their premiere in
the West, while official translations take several months of
work. Because of this, Batyr does not simply announce a
schedule of films that will be playing in his theater, as
many Turkmen would have no interest in seeing these movies
again. Rather, moviegoers engage in a quasi-democratic
voting process to choose the film of the evening. Because
the culture of going to the movies has largely been lost in
Turkmenistan, Batyr sees his job as "rekindling a love of
cinema in the public." He also sees his small theater as a
therapeutic escape for people to come relax after a hard day
of work or study.
7. (SBU) He's also perhaps the most qualified person in the
country for the job. In 1993, he became director of his
first theater, which held a mere 25 people. Since then, he
has operated three different theaters. His dream is to
direct one of the massive cinemas being built as part of a
nationwide initiative.
4D WHITE MARBLE THEATERS WITH BLANK SCREENS
ASHGABAT 00001178 002 OF 002
8. (SBU) Turkmenistan's Government is pouring money into
several new theaters, with the flagship theater just 500
meters away from Parahat. Along with "4D" capability, it is
expected to seat 400-500. Batyr remains skeptical of its
viability. (NOTE: 4D is interactive technology - such as
seats that shake, etc. - that is built into the theater. END
NOTE.) "What are they going to show there? A movie reel
costs $100,000 -- who's going to pay that kind of money? You
can't play DVD's on a big screen designed for 500 people."
He plans to pay a visit to the directors of the bigger
theater and question them on how they plan to acquire movies.
9. (SBU) COMMENT. Going to the movies seems to be slowly
reemerging as a pastime for Turkmen youth and has the
potential to develop into a significant source of social
networking and community building. However, cheap and widely
available pirated DVD's ensure that the majority of Turkmen
will continue to watch movies at home. And while the
Government is certainly willing to build grandiose theaters
to promote cinema, practical questions regarding what to show
and how to make these theaters financially viable suggest
that the construction is just a vanity project rather than a
true initiative to promote the arts. END COMMENT.
CURRAN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN;
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SCUL SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN BEGINS TO REDISCOVER CINEMA... AND
BUILDS MORE MARBLE BUILDINGS
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY. A former Soviet movie theater has reopened
as the first dedicated, modern cinema in post-Independence
Turkmenistan. Because of the wide availability of cheap
pirated DVDs, video rental remains the most popular form of
movie watching. Only a handful of people regularly attend
the theater, but numbers are expected to rise now that summer
has ended and word-of-mouth begins to spread. The director
of the theater dreams of working in one of the large marble
movie theaters being built through a government initiative
designed to support cinema. However, he expressed deep
concern over the financial viability and use-value of these
new theaters, which will probably not even be able to procure
movie reels. While cinema slowly gains popularity, most of
the state-led construction is just a vanity project rather
than a true initiative to promote the arts. END SUMMARY.
A WHOLE NEW WORLD
3. (SBU) In June 2008, the former Soviet movie theater "Mir"
in the central part of Ashgabat reopened as the "Parahat"
complex ("Parahat" is the Turkmen translation of "Mir", or
"world"). The complex specializes in banquet halls for
wedding celebrations, but a small side chamber houses the
first dedicated movie theater to open in Turkmenistan since
independence in 1991.
4. (SBU) Batyr, an ethnic Turkmen, is the operator and
manager of the small theater, which seats a modest 50 people
and features a modern surround sound system and big screen.
The entrance fee is 20,000 manat (less than $1.50),with
showings almost every day at 7pm and 9pm. He acquires the
latest movies from friends and contacts in Russia, who ship
him the DVD's by airplane. In contrast to the existing
'movie theaters' in Ashgabat, which are really more like DVD
cafs that play pirated discs, Batyr only buys licensed,
professional Russian translations in high definition.
5. (SBU) So far, only a handful of people, most of them
young couples, regularly go to the Parahat movie theater.
After independence, cinemas around the country were shut
down. Today, movie rentals are hugely popular in
Turkmenistan, especially in Ashgabat, but few express the
desire to go to the cinema. Batyr predicts more and more
people will start attending in September, both because of
word-of-mouth publicity and people coming back from summer
vacation.
PIRATES OF THE CASPIAN
6. (SBU) Pirated copies of the latest American movies are
widely available almost immediately after their premiere in
the West, while official translations take several months of
work. Because of this, Batyr does not simply announce a
schedule of films that will be playing in his theater, as
many Turkmen would have no interest in seeing these movies
again. Rather, moviegoers engage in a quasi-democratic
voting process to choose the film of the evening. Because
the culture of going to the movies has largely been lost in
Turkmenistan, Batyr sees his job as "rekindling a love of
cinema in the public." He also sees his small theater as a
therapeutic escape for people to come relax after a hard day
of work or study.
7. (SBU) He's also perhaps the most qualified person in the
country for the job. In 1993, he became director of his
first theater, which held a mere 25 people. Since then, he
has operated three different theaters. His dream is to
direct one of the massive cinemas being built as part of a
nationwide initiative.
4D WHITE MARBLE THEATERS WITH BLANK SCREENS
ASHGABAT 00001178 002 OF 002
8. (SBU) Turkmenistan's Government is pouring money into
several new theaters, with the flagship theater just 500
meters away from Parahat. Along with "4D" capability, it is
expected to seat 400-500. Batyr remains skeptical of its
viability. (NOTE: 4D is interactive technology - such as
seats that shake, etc. - that is built into the theater. END
NOTE.) "What are they going to show there? A movie reel
costs $100,000 -- who's going to pay that kind of money? You
can't play DVD's on a big screen designed for 500 people."
He plans to pay a visit to the directors of the bigger
theater and question them on how they plan to acquire movies.
9. (SBU) COMMENT. Going to the movies seems to be slowly
reemerging as a pastime for Turkmen youth and has the
potential to develop into a significant source of social
networking and community building. However, cheap and widely
available pirated DVD's ensure that the majority of Turkmen
will continue to watch movies at home. And while the
Government is certainly willing to build grandiose theaters
to promote cinema, practical questions regarding what to show
and how to make these theaters financially viable suggest
that the construction is just a vanity project rather than a
true initiative to promote the arts. END COMMENT.
CURRAN