The tajik culture is rich thank to its rich historical past. The culture can be devided into different geographical areas. In one side, the old cities of the lowland, like Khujand, Kulob, Panjakent, Qurghonteppa, Khorugh and Istaravshan, but also Samarkand and Boukhara situated actually in Uzbekistan. On the other side, we can talk about the culture of the Pamir, divided between Pamiris and Kyrgyz people, and Yaghnobi people living in the Northern area of Tajikistan.

As early as 874-1005 AD the Tajik civilization has reached its Golden Age in the reign of the Samanids. During this period, the territory has been the cradle of natural and social sciences development in the Central Asia.

Upholding to the rich culture of the past are the archaeological artifacts which have proven the artistry of ancient Tajiks. Art forms such as paintings, sculptures, and other structures which are believed to have originated in the 7th and 8th centuries were found in the ancient city of Penjikent. Other artifacts readily accessible are old mosques along with their grandiose wall paintings that depict ancestral architecture. It is also believed that many contemporary instruments have their origins in the Pamir, such as string instruments.

The discovery of the Mohenjo-Daro site is proof that the Indus civilizations were the basis of Indo-European cultures. Then influenced over time by different peoples and empires: Aryans, Persians, Ghaznavids, Seldjouks, Arabs, Rajputs, Mughals, etc.

We can also now differentiate the different cultures by the different geographical regions: Kashmir, the Hunza valley and Gilgit-Baltistan, the Chitral valley to the north, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwas, Sind and Punjab with its capital Lahore, center of Indus culture.

Long neglected by scientists, the study of rock art represents a direct gateway to the imagination of peoples who have lived across the vast natural expanses of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

After  the documentary  "Gerard Depardieu : My Uzbek Dream" was shoot, Arnaud Frilley reveals Uzbekistan, which fascinates with the beauty of its landscapes and cultural richness. Novastan was particularly interested in the role of Uzbeks in the creation of this documentary.

Within the framework of the international Festival of Asian cinema, which took place in Vesule from 1 to 8 February, Arnaud Frilley, director of the documentary "Gerard Depardieu : my Uzbek dream", was able to present his film to the general public. The film premiered in Paris in October 2020 years without film distribution.

Originally conceived in collaboration with Uzbek director Ali Khamraev, the documentary film eventually had to be thought in a different way. " From the first day, Khamrayev and Depardieu did not come to terms  on the film. Ali wanted to make a feature film, and we wanted to make a documentary. In addition, he wanted to shoot Depardieu, as in the era of the New Wave film, but Gerard did not want to shoot like 40 years ago," says Arnaud Frilley to Novastan. Unable to use Ali Khamrayev's script, Arnaud Frilley rethought it and decided to leave more space for spontaneity. The director wanted to show the audience a beautiful story telling about Gerard Depardieu's journey through Uzbekistan. The film takes the viewer to the main tourist points of the country: Khiva, Samarkand, Bukhara, known for their Silk Road past, and at the same time touches on such problematic topics as the situation in Muynak, located next to what remains of the Aral Sea. Nuanced facets throughout the film, Gerard Depardieu gets acquainted with the population Uzbekistan, its culture, customs, religion and traces left by previous civilizations. Accompanied by local guides, he traveled from city to city, introducing the viewer to the little-known history of this country. This documentary highlights the tourist advantages of the country, revealing its diversity: its cultural wealth, its mythical cities and historical relics, the diversity of its landscapes. Although for some the film may seem like an advertisement for tourists, but for Arnaud Frilley this wealth is a reality. Why not show it? How long will it be possible to save this extremely fragile balance? The director refers to the numerous layers of civilizations that have taken root in Uzbekistan with its Sufi Islam, the philosophy of which is used by the authorities to create a new political model. Arnaud Frilley asks, "How many people actually practice Sufi Islam? Today, traditional Islam is much more widespread among the less educated population.

The independence of the country was marked by the searching of spiritual alternative

of Soviet ideology. In this context, Sufism was declared an "exceptional heritage", political leaders wanted to find an alternative to the aggressiveness and terrorism that political Islam seemed to be approaching. In addition, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the President of Uzbekistan, since coming to power in 2016, has made important changes to the new model of society - the "new" Uzbekistan. This development strategy includes various directions, such as reforms in the spiritual and educational spheres aimed at developing a more enlightened society.

The culture of Afghanistan has persisted for over three millennia, dating back at least to the time of the Achaemenid Empire in 550 BCE. It is mainly a tribal society with different regions of the country having their own subculture. Almost all Afghans follow Islamic traditions, celebrate the same holidays, dress the same, eat the same food, listen to the same music, and are multilingual to some extent. Persian culture and architecture is still present. Some Zoroastrian festivals are still celebrated like the New Year "Navruz".

The Tajiks are heavily concentrated in the northeast, but also form large communities elsewhere, such as in western Afghanistan. The Hazaras tend to be mainly concentrated in the central region, while the Uzbeks are mainly in the north. In the southern and eastern region, Pashtuns live in accordance with Pashtun culture and are generally bilingual in Pashto and Dari.

Afghanistan has been the main crossroads of Central Asia, South Asia and the Middle East, which has greatly influenced its culture.