Shadow Of The Holy Book investigates the morality of international companies and the dictatorship of oil-and-gas-rich Turkmenistan. These companies help give the dictatorship the propaganda support that it needs to survive. Turkmenistan’s dictator, Saparmurat Niyazov, has written a ludicrous book: the «Ruhnama», the Book of Soul, a key tool in the government’s subjugation of human rights and free speech. Yet many international companies give their clandestine support to the Ruhnama and help suppress the country’s voices of opposition and dissidence – in return for multimillion-dollar business deals. Now that Niyazov has died, the influence of the Ruhnama remains as strong as ever. The great powers of the world have entered a new "Great Game" – attempting to influence Turkmenistan for the benefit of their economies. The shadow of the Ruhnama continues to stretch beyond Niyazov’s grave. BACKGROUND Turkmenistan is an old Soviet republic. The territory located by the shore of the Caspian Sea in Central Asia became independent in 1991 at the same time as the other border republics. While the Baltic countries started to build democratic governments, Turkmenistan and other Central Asian former Soviet republics found themselves taken over by strong, individualist presidents. Turkmenistan closed its doors to the outside world. Saparmurat Niyazov ruled the country since the day Turkmenistan proclaimed its independence on October 27th 1991. Niyazov died December 21st 2006. The personality cult of the Turkmen president Niyazov, was singularly extreme. The new regime is led by one of Niyazov’s former cronies, Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov. Berdymuhammedov has already continued to award foreign companies contracts related to the Ruhnama, and has made it clear that, at least for now, he will go on using the Ruhnama as an important part of the government’s propaganda and power structure. According to the international Human Rights Watch, the rights of the Turkmen people are continuously violated in a uniquely flagrant way. Read Arto's Festival Blog at shadowoftheholybook.blogspot.com/ > Website		Documentary, 2007 90 Min., 35mm Original version: Finnisch, English, Turkmenisch In theaters: Finland from the 29.02.2008, Germany from the 15.01.2009 Concept: Arto Halonen Screenplay: Arto Halonen, Kevin Frazier Director: Arto Halonen Photography: Hannu Vitikainen, Arto Halonen Editor: Samu Heikkilä Sound: Martti Turunen, Samu Heikkilä Music: Timo Peltola Editing Consultant: Erez Laufer Cast: Farid and Ruslan Tuhbatullin, Boris Shikmuradov Junior Premiere: IDFA November 2007 Festivals: 2007: IDFA Amsterdam, NL (Joris Ivens Competition) 2008: DocPoint Film Festival Helsinki Finland, Solothurner Filmtage Switzerland, Göteborg IFF Sweden, Nicosia Doc FF Cyprus, Thessalonikit Documentary FF Greece, One World FF Prague Czech Republic, Eurodoc Festival Oslo Norway, Tampere FF Finland, Tempo Documentary FF Sweden, 4th Ukranian Intl Doc. FF Ukraine, DOXA Vancouver Canada, Seatle IFF, USA, Guth Gafa Doc FF Ireland, Planete Doc Review Warsaw Poland, One World Bulgaria, Documenta Madrid Spain, Midnight Sun FF Sodankulä Finland, New Zealand IFF Auckland & Wellington, Blue Sea FF Rauma Finland, Nordisk Panorama Malmö Sweden, Reykjavik IFF Iceland, DOCSDF mexico City IFF, Ciclo de Cine Nordico Mexico City, Alcances FF of teh Atlantic, Cadiz Spain, Oldenburg IFF Germany, Festivaletteratura Mantova Italy, Etnia FF Turku Finland. Awards: Nominee Best European Documentary:European Film Academy 2008. Special Jury Prize Batumi IFF 2008. Audience Choice Award Taiwan Intl Documentary Festival 2008. Finish State Qualiy Production Award. 2009: Human Rights Festival Grand Prix Production: Art Films production AFP Ltd Co-production: Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion, Switzerland & Kamoli Films, Denmark Producer: Arto Halonen, Werner Schweizer, Helle Ulsteen Commissioning editors: Urs Augstburger (SF), Sally Jo Fifer (ITVS) World sales: Film Transit International Distribution (int.): Germany: BFilme