Afghanistan has a long and complex history of film and filmmaking. The establishment of a National Afghan Film organization in 1965 precipitated a cinema boom that generated countless treasures that lasted until the rise of the Taliban. Because of the art form’s association with Western culture, the Taliban regime outlawed filmmaking and attempted to destroy the nation’s existing catalogue of cinema. Meet a small entourage of brave Afghan cinephiles who have hidden and preserved thousands of hours of film footage, both drama and documentary, that would otherwise be lost forever. Led by Ibrahim Arify, who was jailed for filmmaking under conservative rule, the archivists continue to face threats from radical Islamists for their efforts. Witness a story of devotion to film and a beloved cultural history.
Co-presented by Rooftop Films, the Afghan American Artists and Writers Association, and NYU Moving Image Archiving and Preservation Program
For more information, please visit the film page here.
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