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- 3 Afghan documentaries at substation Guinness Theatre in Singapore!
For the fifth year of Taliban fall, three documentary films made of Malek Shafi'i with cooperating of Moving Images and Singapore Film society were presented at substation Guinness Theatre in Singapore.
Malek hasn’t’ participated to this anniversary but instead sent his message to the Singaporean visitors. As reported the message red for the audience in the first day of inauguration.
(Find the message to the bottom of this page)
The three presented films were:
1-Pamir Territory
Pamir territory is located in Eastern north of Afghanistan, bordering Pakistan, Tajikistan and China. With its high mountains and glaciers, it is still unknown to the people of Afghanistan and the world. The Pamir people have also been dissimulating a religion for many years. This documentary is the first film about the people of Pamir and produced during the time of its first presidential elections. A group of filmmakers intended to travel to the farthest region of Afghanistan, the Wakhan district of Badakhshan province, on the pretext of election. As they pass Faiz Abad and Eshkashem on the way to Wakhan, they document the lives of people during the high-security elections, which, in spite of an unprecedented snow, people still participated.
2- Drought in Hazarajat
The documentary team from CACA-Kabul went to the central regions to research on the eight-year drought in Afghanistan. Returning from that hard trip; they reported that most of the regions they had visited are gravely suffering from lack of water. For instance, the people of Nahoor and Ghazni province have to walk more than two hours to fetch drinking water that might dry up in the next year. The depth of water has reduced to 20 to 30 meters deep and the majority of people cannot afford digging wells, neither are there any active institutions to aid them. The green and verdurous field of Nahoor, which was one of the world’s most famous everglades, has dried completely. There is no other like it. Finally, the film features the Jaghuri village, which has been abandoned by its residents due to water shortage.
3- End of the Land
This is a story of Afghan refugees from Iran to Netherlands during the September 11th 2001 attacks, and their subsequent repatriation to Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban. It is the only Afghan film about the impact of the event on the lives of these refugees. Its theme is vehemently anti-war, and opposes all present wars of the period and screens the unsuitable situation of refugees in Iran and Europe. Given this nature, this film has been banned internationally and never shown at film festivals or on television, although it is well received by at private screenings.
Malek Shafi'i's massages for Singaporeans viewers
My warm regards to Singaporeans viewers!
As I know Singapore has located in the south-east of Asia. I am very happy you got interested to learn about my country and especially the current situation.
As a documentary film maker, I always would like to say; war terrorism and narcotics are away from Afghan people. People of Afghanistan strongly concerned to their life, especially I myself but the world and their circumstances are ignoring from what we believe to be and to live.
Today, every morning we are witnessing blast in the capital. Just a few days before there was an explosion which killed more than fifteen? The explosion was just two streets away from my home, a place where I am crossing everyday with my two years old daughter. Probably we will also be killed in these attacks that are unknown for us how and organized from where.
Certainly, I am the only guy working independently, without of governmental supports or getting any helps of NGOs for making my documentary films. My gladness is that I am that I am making films although they are in low quality and recording in a tough situation but I believe there are people who like to watch my videos and get a clear vision of Afghanistan.
I regretfully want to say this that I couldn’t get closer to the Afghan personal life, I hope this would happen in the next.
Anyway, I wish to be there with you and watch the videos but now I am very eager hear opinions and judges about my videos; I believe your viewer’s critics will encourage me to improve.
In the meantime, I want to thank from my best friend Mr.Wong Lung Hsiang from Singaporean Film Society that provided opportunity for presenting the videos, defiantly their activities are respectable and delightful.
Peace and success to your life,
Malik Shafi'i
Kabul, Afghanistan
Meanwhile lots of visitors left their comments at the end of the presentation. One of the comments is the following:
Comments for Malek Shafi’I
The three documentaries were very narrative and feature the
Details – well documented.
Well made given the constraints. But documentary number 3
(Drought) was carrying things a bit far. The subject could
Have been incorporated in the first documentary (Pamir
Territory) involving elections. Plus the tyranny under
Taliban would have made watching more interesting
Informative, an eye-opener creates a sense of nihilism about
The kind of lives we lead when others don’t even have water
The documentaries were a powerful experience. They remind us
Of marginalized communities and forgotten voices. Kudos to
The filmmaker! |
