My Afghanistan - Life in the Forbidden Zone

Nagieb Khaja, a young Danish journalist of Afghani origin, travels to Lashkar Gah, capital of the province of Helmand in Afghanistan. Because journalists aren't allowed out of their hotels without a military escort, contact with the civilian population is pretty near impossible. But Khaja has a trick up his sleeve. He gives 30 civilians cell phones equipped with HD cameras and asks them to film their daily lives. This provides us with a rare glimpse into the war-torn existence of regular Afghanis, a valuable antithesis to our very Western perspective on the war. We ride along with Hakl Sahab in his 70-year-old Jeep with no brakes, get hairstyling tips from Jurna Gul, and take cover from stray bullets with the frightened Shrukrullah. We see the beauty of the country, children in danger and the incessant destruction; we feel the underlying powerlessness and fighting spirit of the people and the corruption they must endure. Meanwhile, it becomes clear how difficult it is to capture the lives of women. Khaja alternates between the civilian reports and his own experiences in Lashkar Gah, where he kills time filming street scenes, a visit to a nearby hospital, and a chat with Afghan soldiers about their excellent relationship with the local Taliban leaders. A suicide bombing interrupts the relative calm. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)