Global Voices

Diamond in the Dunes

China’s Xinjiang Province is a region harshly divided between an indigenous Muslim minority and the ruling Han Chinese. Diamond in the Dunes follows Parhat Ablat, a 20-year-old Uyghur shepherd, as he attends the region’s racially segregated Xinjiang University and forms an integrated baseball team. For Parhat, baseball is more than a game; it’s a vehicle for spiritual transformation.

Coming to Global Voices: Diamond in the Dunes

30s

China’s Xinjiang Province is a region harshly divided between an indigenous Muslim minority and the ruling Han Chinese. Diamond in the Dunes follows Parhat Ablat, a 20-year-old Uyghur shepherd, as he attends the region’s racially segregated Xinjiang University and forms an integrated baseball team. For Parhat, baseball is more than a game; it’s a vehicle for spiritual transformation.

Previews + Extras

  • Behind the Scenes of <i>Diamond in the Dunes</i>: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Behind the Scenes of <i>Diamond in the Dunes</i>

    S7 E11 - 3m 17s

    This video extra from the documentary <i>Diamond in the Dunes</i> goes behind the scenes of this film shot in China’s Xinjiang Province. Filmmaker Christopher Rufo and producer Keith Ochwat talk about the tense ethnic relations in this unique region and what drew them to the story of how baseball brought together two typically segregated groups.

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