Imagine A Country With No Artists

'Think of a country where there are no artists': Afghan filmmakers woe for the motherland in Venice

Sahra Karimi [left] and Sahra Moni at the Venice Film Festival on September 4, 2021. Photo: AP

Women filmmakers who left Afghanistan after the Taliban seized state power have not forgotten the plight of the people of their country. On Saturday, they attended a special seminar at the Venice Film Festival in Italy, the anguish fell on their voices.

The discussion was attended by Sahra Karimi, the first female president of the Afghan Film Organization, and Sahra Mani, a documentary filmmaker.

Karimi, the filmmaker, was forced to leave Afghanistan after hours of persistence in her life-and-death decision after the Taliban took control of Kabul. That's the story she told reporters.

Several of her film projects are still in the pre-production and post-production stages. Their future is uncertain now.

'We had a dream to change the narrative of Afghanistan. Because we were gasping for breath about such a reality in the country. We wanted to make a variety of films and show our stories in a slightly different way, from a slightly different perspective, so that the true beauty of the country could be revealed,' said Sahra Karimi.

Featured Afghan filmmaker Sahra Karimi. Photo: Reuters

But suddenly all of her dreams faded.

'Imagine a country with no artists, no filmmakers, so how will the citizens of that country express their self-identity?' Karimi asked, 'We may not be political ambassadors, but we are ambassadors of our own stories, our self-identity. '

'We are the people who bring our self-identity to the world through our films, through our music, through our creative work,' added the filmmaker.

Sahra Karimi said that she decided to leave on the morning of August 15 after spending a few hours in the face of the toughest decision of her life.

She said several young and bright stars from Afghanistan have also been forced to leave the country; But added that many promising filmmakers are still trapped in the country. They are deleting their social media posts for security.

On the other hand, Sahra Moni said that she had to spend time in her own country at the risk of her life every day. Her house has been cut off from electricity and the internet. 

Because she wanted to rebuild his country and resume cultural activities in the country. 'We were in the country. Because, we were optimistic people, 'she said. But after the Taliban seized power, it seemed we had nothing to fight for. We have lost everything. '

Desk report:05 September 2021, 03:15 pm