Epic lives: films journey from Middle Earth to Afghanistan. . - At The Movies - movie review

National Catholic Reporter, Jan 25, 2002 by Joseph Cunneen

As Nafas begs and buys her way closer to her sister's village, we get revealing glimpses of everyday life, especially of the women and children. Looking for a guide, she finds a man who will take her along with his other wives, provided she wears the burka. Young boys are trained to recite the Quran at breakneck speed, without any understanding. Asked about Kalashnikovs, they are better informed: They are to be used to kill the infidels who threaten their religion. A boy who gets away from the school becomes Nafas' guide and is soon a hardened hustler. Nafas also encounters an idealistic African-American doctor who treats an Afghan woman without being able to see or touch her. In the film's most moving scene, a large group of women wearing burkas march together across the sands, singing and ready for celebration, as they accompany one of their number who is about to be married.

Nelofer Pazira, who plays Nafas, is an exiled 28-year-old Canadian journalist who tried to go back to Afghanistan to rescue an old friend. When the Taliban made it impossible to enter the country, she contacted Makhmalbaf, who asked her to collaborate on the movie. "Kandahar" is not a fully rounded movie, but takes on extra power when one of Nafas'diary entries addresses Afghanistan directly: "One day the world will see your trouble and come to your aid." Pazira, however, is unsure about what is happening now: "Bombing introduces another set of extremists. We will come to regret this 10 years later."

Joseph Cunneen is NCR's regular movie reviewer.