Kandahar
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Canada
Movie Reviews of Kandahar
Movie Review: Oppression of women under Taliban rule...
Summary: 5 Stars
Kandahar is a semi-documentary about Nafas, a female reporter exiled from Afghanistan and residing in Canada. Her journey takes her into Afghanistan and the city of Kandahar during the Taliban rule. Her reason to get to Kandahar is to save her sister who has communicated that she intends to commit suicide during the next solar eclipse. Her sister could not escape with the family to Canada, since she lost her legs to a landmine in their attempt to escape the country. Now Nafas wants to get back to Afghanistan and save her sister; however, on the road to Kandahar she faces the true rule of the Taliban and understands the misfortune of the people and her sister in Afghanistan. Kandahar is an exceptionally personal film in many aspects. For example, Nafas is constantly defenseless, since she must put her trust into people she does not know, and this builds up a strong connection between Nafas and the audience. In addition, many scenes cause the audience to ponder why Nafas's sister would consider suicide. In the end, this film builds up a plethora of insights of how life might have been in Afghanistan during the Taliban rule and how women might be suffering around the world.Movie Review: inside look at afghanistan-a true storyline, wonderful
Summary: 5 Stars
a great story based on a real tale of one canadian/afghan womens journey back to afghanistan to search for her frined, who is depressed and contemplating suicide due to the opression and devastation all around. in the movie the friend is actually her sister. the main character relives her actual travels and shows you many things in afghanistan that contribute to the situation her friend is facing, such as hunger, death, robbery, oppression of women and their basic rights, religious fanaticism, etc...
although she is not able to reach her destination of kandahar, either in real life or in the movie, the movie will show you the devastation the afghan people face day to day, and the lengths people go to survive. there are some comical moments, and some real heartfelt moments throughout. one of the best films made about afghanistan, and a true story to boot. directed by the great mohsen makhmalfbaf, if you buy this please view the commentary by the women in the film, it contains great info as to what the situation was like making the film, and her own personal story. also, the dvd contains a special news braodcast about her life, in canada and afghanistan.
Movie Review: Cultural Arts Center of Saint Louis recommends
Summary: 5 Stars
Winner of a Jury Prize at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival, Kandahar is an epic tale of hope and courage, inspired by the true story of a woman's attempt to enter Afghanistan. Nafas, an Afghan-born Canadian journalist, returns to her homeland in a desperate attempt to reach her sister. Clothed in a traditional head-to-toe burka, and posing as a subservient wife, Nafas' odyssey takes her across a dramatic desert landscape, where she encounters overwhelmed Red Cross workers, hordes of land-mine victims and finally a wedding procession that brings her within eyeshot of Kandahar.
CAC's Comments: This film allows the audience to not only follow Nafas on her voyage but be a part of her emotional journey through Afghanistan. This film demonstrates a perfect example of a traditional Middle Eastern wedding march which is still common and quite popular today. Linguistically, you will hear everything from basic grammar all the way to advanced Arabic and Farsi spoken throughout this film. We recommend this film to those desiring a better understanding of the Middle East and their customs.
Movie Review: Life on the margins . . .
Summary: 5 Stars
A woman sets out to rescue her sister in the Afghan city of Kandahar and along the way meets the displaced persons of war, the refugees, the starving, and the walking wounded. The film focuses in particular on the women and children forced to survive under hostile conditions. Their marginal existence in the desert sands on the border of Iran and Afghanistan reflects their status within the Taliban-ruled country from which they live in exile. Even more dramatically, the film explores the plight of those who have lost limbs from land mines.
Particularly informative is the commentary by actress Nelofer Pazira that is included on the DVD. Her comments reveal in eloquent detail not only the making of the movie (shot where it takes place) but the rationale behind the creative choices made, often on the fly, as the film crew worked under difficult and dangerous conditions. While western news coverage continues to focus on the military and political aspects of warfare in the Middle East, "Kandahar" does much to reveal the devastating impact on noncombatants. Definitely worth seeing.
Movie Review: ALL ROADS LEAD TO...
Summary: 4 Stars
This is an intriguing film by renowned Iranian director Mosen Makhmalbaf. It is a brief, fascinating peek at Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Filmed before the September 11, 2001 attack on the World trade Center took place, it offers a tantalizing glimpse into a country in which few of us can imagine living.The premise of the film revolves around an Afghani woman named Nafas (Niloufar Pazira), who has emigrated to Canada but finds herself returning years later to her homeland after her sister, who had remained behind in Afghanistan, writes her a letter announcing her intention to end her life at the time of the next solar eclipse.
In the film, Nafas is journeying to her sister in Kandahar. She finds her country, a mosaic of ethnic and linguistic communities, totally devastated by two decades of war. It is through her eyes that the viewer sees the extreme views that have overrun her country. It is through her eyes that the viewer sees the tragedy that is Afghanistan.
The viewer sees that education is firmly in the hands of the Mullahs, the local religious leaders who practice and instruct young boys in a strict fundamentalist interpretation of Islam. It is an ideology that is interwoven with a chilling militancy. Despite the extreme views propounded by the Mullahs, mothers struggle to get their boys in these schools, so as to be assured that their sons will get your basic three hots and a cot in this land of famine.
Moreover, the issue of the role of women under such a repressive regime is also looked at. The viewer sees how the women are treated, denied an education, and referred to in collective, pejorative terms (black heads), due to the burkhas they are forced to wear, at all times. The viewer also sees the devastation that war has brought to this country in terms of land mines and consequent maimings. The results of famine and poor health care are also apparent throughout the course of this film.
As a story, the film promises but, ultimately, fails to deliver a very satisfactory ending. Metaphorically, however, it delivers. Just as her sister's end is near, the end of Afghanistan under this repressive Taliban regime is also near. The film is positively prophetic, when viewed in a metaphoric light.
Though the story line is left to drift as a backdrop for the bigger picture story alluded to through the stunning cinematography, the film still manages to succeed. The film, shot entirely in natural light due to the lack of electricity on location, is vivid with its imagery of a culture and lifestyle so alien to those of us living with and surrounded by creature comforts.
The beautiful Niloufar Pazira, who is not a professional actress but, rather, an Afghani born journalist living in Canada, is wonderful as Nafas. The cast of unknown locals contribute to the vitality of this film, which is a must see for those who are interested in other cultures or in the human condition. Filmed on the Iran-Afghanistan border, the film is based in part on a similar journey to Kabul that Niloufar Pazira had herself earlier attempted in response to a letter from a despondent childhood friend. That journey was never completed due to the danger inherent in such a trip.
The DVD offers superlative visuals and a crystal clear audio but has only a few limited bonus options or special features. It contains an interesting featurette entitled, "Lifting the Veil", which is a documentary that centers around Ms. Pazira. It tells the viewer about her extraordinary life and how it came about that this film was made.
There is also a film commentary by Ms. Pazira. What is interesting about the commentary is that it is not from a director's perspective. The commentary is from a very personal perspective and details what is meant to be conveyed by this film. Those who listen to the commentary will know that the film is about much more than its basic story line about Nafas finding her sister. The film is about Afghanistan.