The Happy Dictator: Inside One Of The World’s Most Secretive Countries | Absolute Documentaries

Deep in the heart of Central Asia lies one of the world’s most secretive countries – Turkmenistan. Run until recently by a dictator whose megalomania spawned a personality cult to rival that of Chairman Mao, this unlikely desert republic has earned itself a grim reputation as ‘the North Korea of Central Asia’. But since no one is usually allowed in or out, the truth about Turkmenistan is impossible to separate from the rumours and the legends. Until now. In this quirky and highly entertaining documentary, well-known critic Waldemar Januszczak journeys to Turkmenistan to investigate the myth of the now deceased Turkmenbashi the Great who retained absolute control over the country, forbidding photography, reporters, dogs, cinemas, circuses, car radios and ballet! Posing as a tourist who goes to Turkmenistan for a stag weekend, Januszczak goes undercover in this bizarre country to separate the facts from the fiction. And he’s taken his camera with him… Absolute Documentaries brings you the best of entertaining and fascinating documentaries for free. Whether you’re into true crime, stories from around the world, family and social life, science or psychology, we’ve got you covered with must-see full-length documentaries every week. Subscribe for more premium documentaries: From: The Happy Dictator Content licensed from ZCZ Films to Little Dot Studios. Any queries, please contact us at: owned-enquiries@