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| Garlanded Afghan film Buzkashi Boys comes home for premiere | Garlanded Afghan film Buzkashi Boys comes home for premiere |
| (30 days later) | |
| An Afghan film that has already begun touring international film festivals and claimed several awards is to have its premiere in Kabul on Thursday night. | An Afghan film that has already begun touring international film festivals and claimed several awards is to have its premiere in Kabul on Thursday night. |
| Buzkashi Boys is the story of two young boys in Kabul who dream of playing buzkashi, the Afghan national sport in which horseback riders compete for possession of a headless goat. Before the boys can compete in the sport, they must confront the stifling limitations of life for poor Afghans. | Buzkashi Boys is the story of two young boys in Kabul who dream of playing buzkashi, the Afghan national sport in which horseback riders compete for possession of a headless goat. Before the boys can compete in the sport, they must confront the stifling limitations of life for poor Afghans. |
| The film, which was produced with a joint international and Afghan crew, recently won best drama at the LA Shorts Fest, which makes the film eligible to be nominated for an Academy Award. | The film, which was produced with a joint international and Afghan crew, recently won best drama at the LA Shorts Fest, which makes the film eligible to be nominated for an Academy Award. |
| Buzkashi Boys has provided a rare opportunity for a narrative, fictional film shot in Afghanistan to reach an international audience and has invigorated the tiny Afghan film industry. | Buzkashi Boys has provided a rare opportunity for a narrative, fictional film shot in Afghanistan to reach an international audience and has invigorated the tiny Afghan film industry. |
| One of those leading the production was the American film-maker Sam French. Working as a documentary maker in Afghanistan, French said he was often frustrated at seeing only the portrayal of Afghanistan's conflict and strife on screen. | One of those leading the production was the American film-maker Sam French. Working as a documentary maker in Afghanistan, French said he was often frustrated at seeing only the portrayal of Afghanistan's conflict and strife on screen. |
| "What we see in the west is not what we see here on the ground. The news is full of bombs, bullets and burqas, not the stories of the people who I know and love in Afghanistan," he said. "One of my missions became to show the world another side of the country." | "What we see in the west is not what we see here on the ground. The news is full of bombs, bullets and burqas, not the stories of the people who I know and love in Afghanistan," he said. "One of my missions became to show the world another side of the country." |
| French recruited local Afghans, some with technical skills, others with only passion and an interest in film-making, and mentored them through the production and post-production process. | French recruited local Afghans, some with technical skills, others with only passion and an interest in film-making, and mentored them through the production and post-production process. |
| The country once had a small cinema scene, but the industry came undone over three decades of fighting, especially during the Taliban's rule, when music and films were outlawed. Over the past decade, there has been a quiet resurgence in film-making, but the vast majority of paying opportunities are in television or non-fiction work. | The country once had a small cinema scene, but the industry came undone over three decades of fighting, especially during the Taliban's rule, when music and films were outlawed. Over the past decade, there has been a quiet resurgence in film-making, but the vast majority of paying opportunities are in television or non-fiction work. |
| "There are very few fictional films made in Afghanistan each year. You can count the number on just your fingers and toes. The main problem is there's no way to make income on films yet. The foreign film market has overshadowed us," said Saleem Shaheen, who owns two film production firms in Kabul. "In every house in Afghanistan, there is cable or satellite TV, and this changes every house into a cinema. People have a variety of films to watch in their houses, so why would they go out and buy a film?" | "There are very few fictional films made in Afghanistan each year. You can count the number on just your fingers and toes. The main problem is there's no way to make income on films yet. The foreign film market has overshadowed us," said Saleem Shaheen, who owns two film production firms in Kabul. "In every house in Afghanistan, there is cable or satellite TV, and this changes every house into a cinema. People have a variety of films to watch in their houses, so why would they go out and buy a film?" |
| Massih Tajzai, who worked as the trainee director on Buzkashi Boys, grew up in a family of actors, but says there were few opportunities for training in film-making. Several local universities offered film courses, but Tajzai said most of the training relied on outdated materials. | Massih Tajzai, who worked as the trainee director on Buzkashi Boys, grew up in a family of actors, but says there were few opportunities for training in film-making. Several local universities offered film courses, but Tajzai said most of the training relied on outdated materials. |
| "Our film-makers here in Afghanistan are not professional. They did not study anything but they watched a lot of Indian films and foreign films. Now they're just copying them without knowing what they're doing," he said. "Their films can't show the culture of Afghanistan because it's all copied." | "Our film-makers here in Afghanistan are not professional. They did not study anything but they watched a lot of Indian films and foreign films. Now they're just copying them without knowing what they're doing," he said. "Their films can't show the culture of Afghanistan because it's all copied." |
| The film offered him a chance to get on-the-job training that Tajzai says was invaluable. Now he hopes to study film-making internationally and return to Afghanistan to continue making movies there. | The film offered him a chance to get on-the-job training that Tajzai says was invaluable. Now he hopes to study film-making internationally and return to Afghanistan to continue making movies there. |
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