Watch Kandahar

Kandahar is a 2001 Canadian-Iranian film that explores the tumultuous political and social landscape of Afghanistan, specifically the region of Kandahar. The film is directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf and stars Nelofer Pazira, Hassan Tantai, and Ike Ogut. The premise of the film follows Nafas (Pazira), a journalist who has lived in Canada for the past decade. Nafas receives a distressing letter from her sister, who remained in Afghanistan following the rise of the Taliban regime. Her sister has decided to take her own life on the day of the next solar eclipse, and the only way to prevent it is for Nafas to travel to Kandahar and try to reach her before the eclipse.

The journey to Kandahar is treacherous, with Nafas facing countless obstacles and dangers along the way. She must navigate war-torn cities, treacherous deserts, and hostile Taliban checkpoints in her quest to reach her sister. Throughout her travels, Nafas encounters a series of characters who offer insight into the complexity of life in Afghanistan during this turbulent period.

One character she meets is a young boy named Khak, who lost both of his legs to a landmine. Khak becomes Nafas' guide through the treacherous wilds of Afghanistan, helping her to avoid the numerous landmines that litter the country. The film also features a meeting with a female doctor who runs a hospital in the region even though women were banned from pursuing higher education and working under the Taliban's regime. The doctor's dedication and resolve to treat patients in the face of tremendous obstacles are a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

Moreover, the film explores the complicated tensions of Afghanistan's ethnic and tribal divisions. Nafas is aided by a Pashtun, a member of the same ethnolinguistic group that makes up the Taliban's leadership, which creates an unease between the two characters. The film also examines the impact of years of war and religious fundamentalism on the Afghan people. It captures the everyday struggles of Afghan civilians regarding medical facilities, sanitation, and access to clean water.

Kandahar also highlights the plight of Afghan women, who were stripped of their rights under the Taliban's regime. The film's female characters are shown in burqas, forced to hide their identities and remain subdued. At a Taliban checkpoint, Nafas witnesses the public execution of a young girl committed by the regime without undergoing proper legal proceedings. The movie tries to show how Afghan women were harshly treated by the religious fundamentalist regime during this period.

Overall, the film provides a poignant and often riveting exploration of life in Afghanistan during the height of the Taliban's regime. It is an unflinching look at the struggles of everyday people in a country ravaged by war and religious fundamentalism. Despite the heavy topics that the film tackles, it also finds moments of beauty and hope in the resilience of the human spirit under such demanding conditions.

Kandahar has earned both critical and commercial success, winning several awards worldwide, including the Ecumenical Jury Award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001. It has also become a cultural moment as it was one of the first movies to give a look at life during the Taliban regime on the grounds in Afghanistan.