From a happy actress to Love Marriage in Kabul

International Afghan Documentary Film Festival (IADFF) in Sweden presents a yearly selection of cutting-edge documentaries about Afghanistan. These films are mirroring the typical life of Afghanistan through the anthropological eyes of Afghan and international filmmakers.

This year the Festival was held in five categories and The winners are:

Best Documentary of Afghanistan “A journey to ziro space” by Dawood Helmandi, Best human rights documentary “ I am happy actress by Samira Rezai, Best Severin Blanchet award goes to the film of “Bitter democracy by Ebrahim Bamiayani, Best female director Award goes to the film of “Afghanistan at night by Alaka Sadat and Best international film about award to the film of Overruled by Farnaz Jurabchian & Mohammad Reza Jurabchian.

Most of filmmakers represented the new generation of Afghanistan and their stories were mostly about women with positive and negative perspective and the political and social crises which is running throughout Afghanistan.

For many of Afghan writers, filmmakers, audience who immigrated to Sweden it was a new chance to see films about Afghanistan and for some women and filmmakers, it was a chance to share stories internationally from a real and forgotten war-zon country and of course people were also really affected by the point of view of Afghan filmmakers.

Creating and expanding this platform is a base to share stories of those lives affected by war, discrimination and injustice. It is about to show very engaged stories of those who courageously resisted oppression and fought against violence with the dream that one day they may create a more human world, also about wars and all those anti-cultural extremists have unfortunately marginalized artists.

Changes at this year festival:

We made some changes to the annual program by help and cooperation of the ABF huset Stockholm.

Instead of three night film screening, we had 7 nights film screenings, 5 nights in Stockholm at the ABF Z Salen, and two nights Orsa Bio at Mora Kommun.

Audience this year:

In stockholm city we had around 60 to 75 person mostly youths in everydays screening, and at the Orsa City which was new and beginning of our film screenings were around 75 Swedish and Afghans.

The Jury Team:

Siddiq Barmak a famous Afghan Filmmaker from Paris, Soheila Mohebi an Iranian and Afghan Filmmaker from Italy, Ali Hazara an Afghan Filmmaker from Paris , Homayoun Karimpour an Afghan and French filmmaker from Paris and Chiara Zanini and Italian journalist and film critic from Italy

Espacial Guests and panel speakers in Stockholm:

Razi Mohebi an afghan filmmaker from Italy, Dawood Helmandi an afghan filmmaker from Netherlands, Sediqa Dowlat an afghan female director from Paris, Jawad Khawari afghan writer from Norwich, Asef Soultanzada afghan writer from Denmark, Mahboba Ebrahimi afghan filmmaker in Sweden, Abolreza Kohanrouz an Iranian filmmaker from Ntherlands, Sharif Saiidi an Afghan poet from Uppsala.

Espacial Guests and panel speakers in Orsa:

Sahra Mosawi an afghan female director from Paris, Mahboba Ebrahimi filmmaker from Uppsala, Shafiqa Yarqin and Halim Yarqin writer and peot from Avesta , Basir Seerat IADFF director from Stockhom, Amazon Rezai co- manager of the Asian Kulturhuset from Stockholm.

We had great supports from P-O Söderlund, Ali Layeghi, Nina Lindunger, Eva Nordfjell in Orsa film screenings.

Photo Exhibition and After Party:

During the festival in June 16 and 17 we had photo exhibition by Ali Layeghi an afghan photojournalist who been living as refugee in Iran, he named his exhibition Escape to freedom “Flykt till frihet”.

After the festival, the exhibition is open for a month in Varberg Centrum at Aria Afghan Restaurant for the common audience and guests.  

All the pictures has been toked by Ali from his way  Stanbul Turkiya to Sweden.

Special Thanks : KULTURFÖRVALTNINGEN, ABF Stockholm, Hazara International network, KulturSamordnaren Kristina Klockar Orsa, Orsa Kommun, Mora Kommun, Mora Kulturhus,  Orsa För Mångfald.

Photographers: Asif Talash, Roqiaya Rasouli and Jalil arman