Turkmenistan:

The World’s Strangest Dictatorship

France, 2024 (54 min.)

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In Turkmen and French with English subtitles and voiceover

The Berdymukhamedov family has ruled Turkmenistan for two generations. The capital, Ashgabat, is a monument to megalomania and is listed as the world’s most expensive city. Every one of its buildings is constructed entirely of white marble and only white cars are allowed on its pristine, deserted streets. The city holds the record for the largest star-shaped building, the largest horse-shaped stadium and the highest concentration of fountains. To uncover the secrets of this reclusive dictatorship, the filmmakers discreetly joined a tourist group. Behind the opulence lies a brutal regime that suppresses and threatens any opposition. Only a tiny minority have benefited from the country’s wealth. There is mass unemployment and extreme poverty.