Radio Free Europe: The new Afghan film “Buzkashi Boys,” has earned international critical acclaim for its poignant portrayal of two impoverished boys in Kabul struggling to realize their dreams.
While earning accolades abroad, the film has also made waves in Afghanistan, where it has invigorated the small local film scene as it recovers from decades of conflict.
Afghan cinema had to endure particular hardship under the Taliban regime, when films were outlawed and movie theaters were burned down.
“Buzkashi Boys” is one of the first major films to be set and shot entirely in Kabul.
It is also the first to be produced by the Afghan Film Project, a non-profit production company that aims to rebuild the fledgling Afghan film scene by mentoring and training local filmmakers on major film productions.
During the production of “Buzkashi Boys,” a dozen aspiring Afghan filmmakers, some with technical skills, the majority with only a passion for filmmaking, were tutored through the production and post-production process, with many getting their first opportunity to write, produce, and direct a major film.