The Tajik drama series The Trap (Dom in Tajik), directed by Daler Rahmatov and produced by Asia-Plus Media Group, is representing Tajikistan at the Baiqonyr International Film Festival — a prominent celebration of debut and emerging cinema, held in Almaty from September 20 to 26. For the first time in its history, the festival has introduced a competition category dedicated to TV series.
According to the festival’s official website, a total of 67 series projects from across Central Asia were submitted, with only six selected for competition. These include three from Kazakhstan and one each from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.
The Trap, a six-episode miniseries, follows the story of Malika — a young, naive girl who arrives in Dushanbe from a rural province in search of money to pay for her critically ill father’s treatment. However, her hopes quickly unravel as she falls into a trap set by con artists, where the stakes could cost her life.
The Baiqonyr festival also includes a pitching session for upcoming series projects. Among them is We Are Born Once, We Die a Hundred Times, a new drama written by Tajik director Iskandar Usmonov and produced by Aidarkhan Adilbayev of Kazakhstan.
This upcoming series tells the story of a Tajik woman who leads a construction company. Her husband — an architect who once dreamed of building a new Dushanbe — disappeared in Afghanistan ten years ago. As she strives to fulfill his dream, she faces personal loss and major challenges along the way.
The festival will conclude with an awards ceremony on September 26.
