SYNOPSIS
Shot in refugee camps of Pakistan and the war-torn city of Kabul, three remarkable Afghan women lead us through the maze of Afghanistans complex history, informing this examination of how international interventions, war and the rise of political Islam have stripped Afghan women of their freedom over the last thirty years. Combining verité footage, interviews and rare archival material, this evocative film is a harrowing, thought-provoking and movingly intimate portrait of a still divided and brutalized nation. Addressing timely issues of women, Islam, and US foreign policy, the film is a compelling and vital addition to the global dialogue of our times.
DESCRIPTION
2001 saw an unprecedented level of international interest in the lives
of Afghan women living under the Taliban. With the Talibans fall later
that year, the U.S. proclaimed the dawn of a new era in Afghanistan that
promised peace, democracy and liberation for women.
Years after this new era was declared, Afghanistan in once again in the
news, not because of successful reconstruction, but because of
increasing violence and a resurgence of the Taliban. And what about the
women? Since 2001, the media spotlight on Afghan women had fallen, and
with it, public knowledge of the current situation they face. What are
their lives like now? Have they really improved since a new government
took power? Have they gained any real rights or do they still live in
fear and repression?
VIEW FROM A GRAIN OF SAND examines these issues through the eyes of three Afghan women: a doctor, a teacher, and a right activist. Illustrated with verité footage, interviews and archival material, their personal stories lead us through the minefield of Afghanistans complex history, and provide illuminating context for Afghanistans current situation and the ongoing battle women face, even now, to gain basic human rights.