This film is part of Free
Kashgar 1926: Actors and Soldiers
Rare scenes of outdoor theatre, traditional dress and military pomp in China’s westernmost city.
Overview
Scenes of actors donning makeup and traditional costume contrast with a military parade in this rare glimpse of China’s westernmost city. Home to the Chinese Muslim Uyghur minority, Kashgar has for centuries been a site of political conflict. Intrepid plant hunter Major George Sherriff shot several films there while Vice Consul; local children are seen riding a donkey in the Consulate garden.
Major Sherriff (1898-1967) later filmed several expeditions to Bhutan, Nepal, northern India and Tibet, where he ran the British Mission at Lhasa in the 1940s. His celebrated Himalayan garden at Ascreavie in Scotland was created using plants collected on his travels.
Related
A Stilted City. Chungking. China A Stilted City. Chungking. China
Travelogue 1930 1 mins Silent Location: Chongqing
Life among the limpet-like buildings clinging to the steep banks of the Yangtze in southwest China.
Mongolia Mongolia
Amateur film 1935 42 mins Silent
Mongolian men show off their prowess in wrestling, archery and horse racing, known as the “three manly games”.
Homework and Street Scenes in China Homework and Street Scenes in China
Travelogue 1908 7 mins
Intimate vignettes of crafters, beggars and labourers in the workshops, on the streets and eating in the outdoor kitchens of imperial China.
Among the Tribes in South-West China Among the Tribes in South-West China
Documentary 1948 37 mins Silent
This alluring travelogue follows a missionary on his colourful journey into the ethnically diverse mountains of Yunnan, south west China.
Rice Cultivation in the Si-kiang Delta, South China Rice Cultivation in the Si-kiang Delta, South China
Documentary 1937 2 mins Silent
An exceptionally detailed look at the process of rice cultivation, from planting to harvesting to pounding, in the Xi Jiang Delta, Guangdong Province.
An Oriental Venice An Oriental Venice
Travelogue 1925 2 mins Silent Location: Hangzhou
Enjoy a cruise along the ancient canals of Zhejiang Province in eastern China with this gorgeous stencil-coloured travelogue
Kashgar: 11 Kashgar: 11
Amateur film 1928 8 mins Silent Location: Kashgar
Actors in elaborate makeup and traditional costume - and a trained goat - perform for the camera in this rare glimpse of China’s westernmost city.
Showgirls is a Western Showgirls is a Western
Short documentary 2025 2 mins
In this mini video essay, BFI contributor Maha Al-Badrawi explains why Paul Verhoeven's Showgirls is a rhinestoned, stilettoed Western. Contains spoilers!
Frederick Wiseman's High School - a discussion Frederick Wiseman's High School - a discussion
Short documentary 2026 22 mins
Filmmaker Andrea Luka Zimmerman and curator Matthew Barrington discuss Frederick Wiseman’s High School with Sandra Hebron.
Hard, Cracked the Wind Hard, Cracked the Wind
Horror 2019 17 mins
A haunting with words is the lure between life and death for a young Cornish poet.
A Last Resort A Last Resort
Comedy 2022 17 mins
Rose is desperate to celebrate her 60th birthday in style, but her daughter Genevieve is struggling to ignore some recent tragic news about her mum.
Seagull Seagull
Horror 2022 6 mins
Seagull is a recovering drug addict who is about to have a very strange night on The English Riviera.
The Walk The Walk
Drama 2023 12 mins
Adeel Akhtar portrays a man on a weekly trek to his nearest JobCentre, entering a state of purgatory through barriers put in place by the system.