Abstract:

Iranian filmmaker Yassamin Maleknasr takes an unprecedented journey across Afghanistan, from the country’s border with Iran to the plains of Karakul, becoming the only woman and filmmaker to have traveled such distances since the fall of the Taliban. Despite the turmoil and suffering they have endured, the women, men and children she encounters have heroically held on to their hopes for the future. Maleknasr’s survey is thoughtful and diverse, ranging from rural families who dream of steady employment and peace, to proud female medical students who aspire to serve their country. Extraordinary interviews include a frank discussion about Taliban repression with one of the country’s only women judges, and an emotional conversation with filmmaker Siddiq Barmak, director of the Afghani feature Osama, describing the regime’s senseless destruction of countless films and works of art. Exquisite camerawork throughout captures subtle facial expressions, architectural grandeur and a landscape of disarming beauty, painting a vivid portrait of both the Afghani people and their country. The film is a remarkable tribute to a people in search of equilibrium and determined to rebuild their beloved nation, and a fascinating look at Afghanistan from an Iranian perspective.