Private Project

Women of the Silk Road

Women of the Silk Road: An undocumented legacy of Love, Courage and Art. A legacy of Love and Death, A legacy that began before written time.
Four women. Four countries. Four stories. Stories of love,courage, and art portraying the unknown faces of the East.

“Women of the Silk Road” explores the diversity of individual lives under the broad banner of the Middle East and Central Asia; and the truth that all lives are about love. A film on the unheard voices and the unseen faces of the East. “Women of the Silk Road” a lyrical feature documentary film in four episodes portrays four women from four countries of the Silk Road”: “Iran, Oman, Turkey and Tajikistan.” is connected by the narrative presence of Yassamin Maleknasr, the director and the storyteller.
Their stories represent a different angle from the standard perception of Muslim women. One of love, courage and dreams. Reminding us of our many similarities and not our differences.
They are the unknown artisans of the East whose textiles have carried the unheard stories of the women of the Silk Road through centuries connecting East and West.”

  • Yassamin Maleknasr
    Director
    Afghanistan, the Lost Truth, Common Plight
  • Yassamin Maleknasr
    Producer
    Afghanistan, the Lost Truth,
  • editor: Fardin Saheb-Zamani
    Key Cast
    There are things you Don't Know
  • Co-Producer: Deborah Cavanaugh
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    57 minutes 42 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 31, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    230 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Country of Filming:
    Iran, Islamic Republic of, Oman, Tajikistan, Turkey
  • Language:
    Arabic, Azerbaijani, English, Persian, Turkish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16.9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • filmoption
    Country: Canada
    Rights: Video on Demand, Free TV, Paid TV
Director Biography - Yassamin Maleknasr

Yassamin Maleknasr is the first Iranian woman filmmaker who graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Film and Television. She is an award-winning actress and director who found purpose behind the camera as documentary filmmaker. She has made many documentaries on a wide variety of subjects.
In 2002, she traveled more than 3,000 miles throughout war torn Afghanistan by land to make her acclaimed film, “Afghanistan the lost Truth”. Her recent lyrical documentary, “Women of the Silk Road” portrays the lives of four women from four countries of the Silk Road. Their stories represent a humanistic view of Muslim women - one of love, courage and art - and the values they share with women of the West. Her new project, “Symphony in the Dark” in post-production depicts the human need for music.

As a woman of Iranian-American background, fluent in English, Farsi, and Dari, Ms. Maleknasr is a bi-cultural artist uniquely qualified to portrays the many facets of the east to the west. Her humanistic films promote social and economic change resulting in university, NGO, and public policy discussions and panels. Ms. Maleknasr uses her camera to illuminate the hearts and minds of all people across cultural divides. It is her wish that her films promote understanding between the East and West.

In these trying times of mistrust and division between the East and the West, Yassamin hopes that her sensitive camera shall act as a source of illumination to enlighten the hearts and minds of all peoples across the cultural divide and promote a better understanding between people of the world.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Women of the Silk Road:

As a woman filmmaker and a bi- cultural artist belonging to an older generation I had the unique opportunity to see the world and to learn about other cultures and their costumes. My aim was to portray the lives of faces we rarely see and stories we hardly hear yet these women play an important role in reshaping our world. We only buy their textile not knowing the stories of the hands which wove them. Women who helped us find our commonalities through centuries. Their strength and courage helped me make the film despite its obstacles.

In these trying times of mistrust and division between the East and the West, I hope this film can act as a source of illumination to enlighten the hearts and minds of all peoples across the cultural divide and promote a better understanding between people of the world.