The short documentary Rock by director Altynai Adamalieva won the Osiris Award, presented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), at the 2025 Agrofilm International Film Festival.
The seventeen-minute film tells the story of a female farmer. Zamira, a professional with three university degrees, left city life to herd yaks in the village, driving them up snow-covered slopes up to 3,500 meters high. She also cooks food and repairs broken agricultural machinery, an FAO release says.
Herding is a predominantly male occupation, making Zamira even more unique.
In the film, Zamira shares how much she enjoys being on horseback — a crucial part of working as a pastoralist — and the «feeling of the wind blowing in your face».
Livestock farming remains an important part of rural life in Kyrgyzstan and throughout Central Asia. Ninety percent of the world’s yaks are raised here, providing income and a future for many people.
Next year, the world will celebrate people like Zamira, as 2026 has been declared the International Year of Women Farmers and the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists.
- Agrofilm is an international film festival in Slovakia that promotes films and video programs on agriculture and rural development. Its goal is to inform the public about the latest achievements in these sectors.
