Kabul: Between Prayers

On the dusty streets of Afghanistan, would-be suicide bombers warmly share their earthly worries and dreams.

The visually impressive film immerses us in the dusty and dark streets of Kabul after American troops leave Afghanistan. The main character of the film, 23-year-old Samim, is a Taliban fighter who never lets go of his machine gun. A fanatical Islamist who prays for the establishment of Sharia law throughout the world. But at the same time, he is a sincere and caring brother, a reliable colleague, a young man lacking self-confidence, torn between heavenly promises, earthly temptations and problems of everyday life.

After the successful debut film Kabul, the Windy City (screened at this festival in 2019), director Aboozar Amini was unable to return to Afghanistan and was forced to direct the second part of the planned trilogy remotely. However, thanks to the unprecedented access of his cameraman and his bond to the protagonist, he was able to paint a profound, humanistic portrait of a generation of his country, torn by endless wars and turmoil.

The screening on 9 October at Skalvija Cinema will be introduced by Dr Gintarė Sereikaitė-Motiejūnė, a researcher of Islam and the Middle East and Assistant Lecturer at the Institute of Asian and Transcultural Studies, Vilnius University. The introduction will be in Lithuanian.

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