Film Forum

Sohrab, Rostam, and Yaldash, three Afghan brothers, are among the subjects of James Longley’s portrait of contemporary Kabul: a city torn apart by decades of war, the ravages of Taliban rule, and a continual American military presence. Like the filmmaker’s Oscar-nominated IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS, his new film counterpoints gorgeous cinematography with the grim reality of growing up amid seemingly endless conflict. Recording “poetry in dilapidation,” the film is praised for its “gentle exquisiteness… [with] intimate and evocative insight into a culture too often vilified due to Western ignorance.” (Keith Uhlich, The Hollywood Reporter) Longley captures ineffable moments of childhood wonderment that manage to shine through the ruined buildings and weary faces of a once-great vibrant city and its people.

Presented with support from the Richard Brick, Geri Ashur, and Sara Bershtel Fund for Social Justice Documentaries

USA / DENMARK / NORWAY    2018    117 MINS.    IN DARI, PASHTO, ENGLISH, AND ARABIC WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES    GRASSHOPPER FILM

Reviews

“Stirring and gorgeous... a lament for a prosperous past that can’t be reclaimed, a volatile present that affords few prospects for joy or success, and a future that’s terrifyingly uncertain.”
– Nick Schager, Variety

“Touching. A vivid portrait of daily life in Kabul and a rich look into childhood from the perspective of children who have every reason to expect the worst.”
– David D’Arcy, Screen International

“An intimate portrait of a nation in ongoing crisis… [a] beautiful movie.”
– Christopher Llewellyn Reed, Hammer to Nail

“A clear-eyed and confrontational portrait of daily life in modern Afghanistan.”
– David Ehrlich, Indiewire