In Dari, with English subtitles (47 minutes)
“Afghanistan, The Lost Truth is the only film I’ve seen
on the subject which is
able to peer beyond the clichéd images of a war-ravaged land
to note evidence of the Afghan people’s indomitability and resilience.”
- Peter Scarlet, Executive Director, Tribeca Film Festival
Synopsis
AFGHANISTAN, THE LOST TRUTH
Shortly after the fall of the Taliban, Iranian filmmaker Yassamin Maleknasr
embarked on a remarkable journey across the vast landscape of Afghanistan
from Herat to Balkh, the only woman and filmmaker to have traveled such
distances since the fall of the regime. Her resulting film, Afghanistan:
The Lost Truth, is a fascinating look at the people, culture and landscape
of the country—and the optimism that endures despite the countless
tragedies the country has suffered.
Maleknasr’s intimate interviews offer a surprising look at Afghan
women that goes far beyond Western perceptions of the burka. Conversations
with women from all walks of life, including students, artisans, and
one of the country’s only female judges, reveal the incredible
strength, hope and determination that women bring to the task of rebuilding
their war-torn homeland. An emotional meeting with filmmaker Siddiq
Barmak, director of the acclaimed Afghan feature Osama, offers powerful
insight into the overwhelming challenges faced by artists and filmmakers
under the Taliban. Maleknasr’s thoughtful dialogues combine with
stunning footage from all regions of the country to paint a vivid portrait
of Afghanistan today.
Director’s Statement
“Filming Afghanistan, The Lost Truth was an experience as precious
as the famed rubies of Badakhshan region. I entered this exotic, mysterious
and historic land shortly after the fall of the Taliban regime. Our
intention was to seek love and life – not aversion and death.
This hope was my small crew’s guiding light. Despite the turmoil
in Afghanistan, there is life and a timeless essence that I hoped to
capture in the film.
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BAM: WHISPER OF THE WIND
A film by Yassamin Maleknasr
In Persian, with English subtitles (17 minutes)
Bam, Whisper of the Wind: is the story of a woman archaeologist who
survived the earthquake in Bam, Iran, and decides to help rebuild Arg-E-Bam
(Bam’s ancient Citadel).
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Love and Unity
A film by Yassamin Maleknasr
In English (14 minutes)
Love and Unity is a short film shot in Konya, Turkey which is dedicated
to bringing the East and the West closer together through the life and
works of Rumi, the 13th century poet and philosopher.
Yasanin Maleknasr with Ecin the ancestor of Rumi.
About the Filmmaker
Born in Tehran, Yassamin Maleknasr is a graduate of filmmaking from
University of Southern California (USC) and did post-graduate work in
Drama at Towson State University in Maryland. She made her first short
film, Jazz Ballet in the U.S, and after several years working at American
film companies, she returned to Tehran to perform in Dariush Mehrjui's
film Sara (1993) for which she won a Best Supporting Actress Award from
the Fajr film festival of Tehran. She has also acted in a number of
other Iranian features. Maleknasr directed her debut feature film, The
Common Plight in 1995, and has made several documentaries including
Bababaghi, which documents the lives of lepers and their families living
in the outskirts of Tabriz, and Iran through Foreign Eyes, in which
foreign-born women express their views on life in Iranian society.
There will be a panel discussion following the last film with Yasamin
Maleknasr. Jahan Stanizai, Zaman Stanizai, and Hassan Fayyad.