BackKabul express
How film-makers in Afghanistan are capturing their country's hopes and fears
Premium
Afghanistan usually makes bad news, but as a package of short films from the country proves, some Afghans also make films.
Kabul Closeup, curated by researcher and freelance journalist Taran Khan, is a package of six fictional and non-fictional short films about a range of issues affecting the strife-ridden country. The set of films will be shown by the documentary group Vikalp at the Alliance Française on 23 August in Mumbai. Jalal Husaini’s Angels of the Earth (15 minutes) looks at the harshness of life in Kabul through the eyes of two children. S. Masoud Eslami’s slightly confusing Swap (14 minutes) examines the interlinked fates of two young, similar-looking women, one of whom is married to an abusive husband.
In the superb Little Afghanistan (29 minutes), director Basir Seerat follows the drivers of horse-drawn carriages that wind their way through the chaos of Kabul’s streets. Jamil Jalla’s accomplished The Last President (14 minutes) is a circular narrative that pokes fun at the electoral process. Ghafar Azad’s A Letter to Light (15 minutes) is about a semi-blind 13-year-old boy who is gradually losing the rest of his sight. Ali Hussein Husseini’s Farewell (3 minutes) is a slick, Hollywood-style short that points to the influence of American cinema on the film-makers working in Kabul today.
Taran Khan first travelled to the Afghan capital from Mumbai in 2006 along with her husband, Asad Hussain, to teach video production at the Afghan government-run Educational Radio and Television network. “The infrastructure had almost been completely destroyed during the war and the Taliban rule," Khan says. She met several media professionals through Afghan film-maker Siddiq Barmak, started attending informal screenings at their homes, and stumbled upon a vibrant film-making scene that included shorts, documentaries and music videos. “We also started weekly screenings at the channel, where you had Afghan film-makers showing their films to other Afghans," Khan says.
The films encompass a variety of styles, she points out. “In the past few years, I have seen a lot of experimentation with time and narrative. It is not like everybody is making one kind of film—the collective Jump Cut makes edgy, experimental stuff, while Salim Shaheen makes massy films. It is a small but diverse scene that is not just in Kabul, but also in Herat and Jalalabad. I have only tapped a small part of it."
Kabul Closeup will be screened at the Alliance Française de Bombay on 23 August at 6.30pm. The event is free and open to all. Click here for details.
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
