Sadyk Sher-Niyaz Explained

Sadyk Sher-Niyaz is a director, producer, and public figure from the Kyrgyz Republic, best known for his work on the film ^[1]

Biography

Sadyk Sher-Niyaz was born on March 10, 1969, in the village of Chon-Kapka, Talas region, Kyrgyzstan. An ethnic Kyrgyz, Sher-Niyaz is married, the father of three children.^[2] At the age of 38 he left Kyrgyzstan to attend High Courses for Scriptwriters and Film Directors in Moscow.^[3] His first feature film, , was the Kyrgyz submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards.^[4]

Sher-Niyaz is the founder of several organizations, including Aitysh Public Fund,^[5] "Kalemger" Literary Club,^[6] and Film Production Company Aitysh Film.^[7] In 2011, he started the Kyrgyzstan-Land of Short Films.^[8] Later in 2011, Sher-Niyaz became the Chairman of the Union of Cinematographers of Kyrgyzstan; he was re-elected to the position in January 2015.^[9] In 2012, he became one of the founders of the Ak Ilbirs Awards^{[10] [11] [12]} Later in 2011, Sher-Niyaz became the Chairman of the Union of Cinematographers of Kyrgyzstan, and was again re-elected to the position January 2015.^[9]

In late 2014, Sher-Niyaz founded the Asian World Film Festival in Los Angeles, California. According to The Wrap, Sher-Niyaz created the Festival to help other Asian filmmakers in their Oscar campaigns: ″'I created the Asian World Film Festival to fill a void that I noticed was missing in America. There is a wealth of underrated filmmakers from our region that deserve recognition and this festival was designed to champion and promote them,' festival chairman and creator Sadyk Sher-Niyaz said.″^[13]

Education

• 2007–2009. - High Courses for Scriptwriters and Film Directors in Moscow (workshop Vladimir Khotinenko, Pavel Finn, Vladimir Fenchenko )^[14]
• 1994-2000 - Kyrgyz National University (KNU), Department of Law
• 1983-1987 - Frunze Engineering College, Technician^[15]

Political activity

• 2021- First Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan to France (with residence), Permanent Delegate of Kyrgyzstan to UNESCO
• 2021 Participated in the presidential elections (withdrew his candidacy after ^[16] |negotiations with Sadyr Japarov, who later became the President of the Kyrgyz Republic)^[17]
• 2015-2020 deputy of the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan
• 2014 Sher Niyaz was nominated to the post of Minister of Culture^[18]
• 2010 - Minister of Culture and Information of the Kyrgyz Republic^[19]
• 2005 - Member of the State Commission for the stabilization of the political situation in the Kyrgyz Republic
• 2004-2007 – Elected to the Parliament Deputy Ombudsman (Akyikatchy)^[6]

State awards and titles

• Order of Manas I degree (2023) (Kyrgyzstan)
• Order of Friendship II degree (2021) (Kazakhstan)^[20]
• The Dank (Glory) medal (2015) (Kyrgyzstan)^[21]
• State Prize of the Kyrgyz Republic named after Toktogul in the field of literature, art and architecture for historical epic film Kurmanjan Datka (2017) (Kyrgyzstan)
• Honored Worker of Culture of the Kyrgyz Republic (2011) (Kyrgyzstan) ^[22]
• Certificate of Honor of the Kyrgyz Republic (2006) (Kyrgyzstan)^[23]
• Gold Medal of TÜRKSOY for precious contribution to art and culture in the Turkic World (2022)^[24]
• The Honorary Citizen of the city of Culver City, Los Angeles (2019) (USA).^[25]
• The Honorary Citizen of the Manas region (2015) (Kyrgyzstan)

Filmography^[26]

Film	Year
Pars (Son"s Duty)	2007	Producer and Writer
The Salt	2011	Producer
	2014	Director and Writer^[27]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Sadyk Sher-Niyaz, Queen of the Mountains. ScreenDaily. 27 February 2015.
2. Web site: Sadyk Sher-Niyaz. Who Is Who. 27 February 2015.
3. Web site: Female Warrior Stars in Kyrgyz Blockbuster Epic. 27 February 2015.
4. Web site: Aguilar. Carlos. Changing History: Sadyk Sher-Niyaz on 'Kurmanjan Datka: Queen of the Mountains. IndieWire.
5. News: Finn. Peter. In Central Asia, a Revival of an Ancient Form of Rap. The Washington Post. 27 February 2015.
6. Web site: People of Kyrgyzstan Personal History, Sadyk Sher-Niyaz. AKIpress. 27 February 2015.
7. Web site: Production of Movie about Kurmanjan Datka Queen of the Mountains in Kyrgyzstan. 27 February 2015.
8. Web site: Kyrgyzstan to Host International Short Film Festival of CIS, Baltic States, and Georgia. 29 November 2011. 27 February 2015.
9. Web site: Sadyk Sher-Niyaz. Knews.kg. 23 September 2011. 27 February 2015.
10. Web site: National Cinema. 27 February 2015.
11. Web site: Opening Ceremony of Ak Ilbirs. 28 September 2012. 27 February 2015.
12. Web site: First Time Film Awards for Kyrgyzstan. 23 May 2012. 27 February 2015.
13. Web site: TheWrap Partners With Asian World Film Festival for Inaugural Year. The Wrap. TheWrap. 23 April 2015.
14. Web site: Sadyk Sher Niyaz. AKIpress.
15. Web site: Sadyk Sher-Niyaz. 16 February 2012. 27 February 2015.
16. https://24.kg/english/174937_Sadyk_Sher-Niyaz_withdraws_as_candidate_after_meeting_with_Sadyr_Japarov/
17. https://24.kg/english/174937_Sadyk_Sher-Niyaz_withdraws_as_candidate_after_meeting_with_Sadyr_Japarov/
18. Web site: 5 Nominated for Minister of Culture. 27 February 2015.
19. Web site: Kyrgyz Embassy in Seoul . 2022-07-16 . 2016-03-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160305003438/http://www.kyrgyz-embassy.ru/press/press.php_page_name%3Dnews%26board_file%3Dview%26u_no%3D15%26l_no%3D29%26pagenum%3D3.html . dead .
20. https://www.for.kg/news-703348-en.html
21. https://nagrada.srs.kg/Site/Awarded/20360
22. https://nagrada.srs.kg/Site/Awarded/20360
23. https://nagrada.srs.kg/Site/Awarded/20360
24. https://www.turksoy.org/en-US/news/gold-medal-of-turksoy-to-the-famous-kyrgyz-film-director-sadyk-shey-niyaz
25. https://www.for.kg/news-623110-en.html
26. Web site: February 2015 Sadyk Sher-Niyaz.
27. Web site: Kyrgyzstan Latest Former Soviet Republic to Make Epic Historical Movie. Hollywoodreporter.com. 25 June 2013. 27 February 2015.