Kandahar (2001) NR - 2 Stars

Seems like all the movies I had on my Blockbuster list are regarding the war and the Middle East. I've been waiting for them for a while now and lately that's mostly what I've been watching. It's always educational to see other cultures because we tend to get so wrapped up in our world, we are forgot about others out there who live so much differently than us. Since the Taliban regime we don't realize how the non terrorist people of Afghanistan live on a daily basis. I remember before 9/11, I was spreading the message through emails to my friends regarding the women of Afghanistan and their oppression. The women are not allowed to go to school, than can not been seen by any man except their husband, women are not allowed to leave their homes without a husband, father or brother as an escort, and if they are raped, they would be stoned to death for allowing the act to happen.

The only problem with this film for me was, it was just too non active. I don't think there was enough footage showing their repression. I don't think it touched close enough on the big picture. In Farsi and English with English subtitles, I just feel the movie was more about Nafas, than Afghanistan or her sister.

Nafas (Niloufar Pazira) was born in Afghanistan, but along with her family fled to Canada when she was just a child. Her sister was not able to get out with the rest of the family. She had lost both her legs from a land mine and when the family retreated, they had to leave her behind. An Afghan-Canadian journalist, Nafas is on a mission to return back to her country to save her sisters life, after receiving a letter from her that she planned her won death with the last solar eclipse of the 20th century.

Nafas tries to blend in by joining a group of refugees and posing as one mans wife. But she is reluctant to cover her face with the burqas all the time and risks getting caught. When they reach a point of going no further, she enlists the help of a young boy to take her the rest of her way.

2001 - Kandahar - National Board of Review - Freedom of Expression Award

Avatar Films
Director: Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Writer: Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Producer: Mohsen Makhmalbaf

I viewed 11/08