The Afghan way

Kandahar
Stars Nelofer Pazira. Madman Productions. 85 mins

Reviewer :: PTE Simone Heyer

FANCY a trek through the Afghan desert to reach the last surviving member of your family?

Kandahar tells the tale of Nafas, an Afghan-Canadian who receives an odd request from her sister.
By way of letter, she says she plans to commit suicide because of her life in Afghanistan and she begs Nefas to hear her cry.

Nefas then begins her journey to the capital to race the last eclipse of the century and save her sister’s life.

Kandahar is almost documentary style, but sways into a narrative. Nefas, a journalist, relates the trip on her dictaphone, making an oral journal of sorts.

Her narratives are in English, but, understandably, the rest of the discourse is in Farsi – the Persian language – so prepare yourself for subtitles.

She runs into trial after trial and meets all kinds of characters – unsavoury and otherwise.

Interestingly all the lead characters, with the exception of Nefas, are men. Despite the introduction of minor female characters, they remain faceless.

This film is a masterpiece. It gives such insight into the Afghan way of life, little things that most Westerners wouldn’t think about.

The scenery is amazing, the costumes bright and the real-life issues confronting. If you have any sort of interest in the Middle East and the real or perceived cultures and practices of its people, this is definitely the movie for you.