massoud l'afgan
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POUSSIÈRES DE GUERRE / DUST OF WAR
1990, video; 104m; not subtitled, simultaneous tranlation provided
Shot over the course of a year in Byelorussia, in the Central Asian
Soviet republics, in Pakistan and, secretly, in Afghanistan, POUSSIÈRES DE GUERRE is a cinematic fresco of men plunged into war. "Ponfilly and
Laffont have given the veterans of one conflict, from both sides, a
voice. But they’ve also allowed the civilians to speak, as well as the
many mothers whose lives have been shattered. A remarkable inquiry into
the traces left by war." – Le Nouvel Observateur
Fri Feb 8: 1 & 6:15; Sat Feb 9: 8:45;
Mon Feb 11: 4:45; Tue Feb 12: 1 & 6:15;
Wed Feb 13: 5
MASSOUD L'AFGAN
1998, video; 90m
In 1997, Ponfilly began assembling this beautiful, shattering film,
recounting his two-decade relationship with Massoud. Ponfilly uses
footage from his previous films to poignant and probing effect, charting
the strange, tragically compromised course of this inspiring man. When
he’s interviewed by an obtuse Russian camera crew ("What’s your favorite
weapon?" they ask. "The Kalashnikov, of course," he answers), Massoud
claims that he doesn’t have a "favorite movie" because, sadly, he’s far
from cinema. But the camera certainly liked him: at moments, he
resembles a cross between Bob Dylan and Che Guevara. "Ponfilly’s virtue
is to have understood, loved and respected this grand personality named
Massoud. . . . The beauty of the film is in its form, which is very free and
extremely confidential. It’s the intimate confidence of an engaged
filmmaker, questioning himself about the meaning of his own work, about
the role of images in the world." – Les Inrockuptibles
preceded by
KABOUL AU BOUT DU MONDE / KABUL AT THE END OF THE WORLD
1993, video; 52m not subtitled, simultaneous tranlation provided
In 1992, Ponfilly went back to Kabul to see what had happened to
Afghanistan, and to the rebel forces he had been filming for over a
decade and with whom he had developed close ties. He found a country in
ruins, and a population in flight for their lives. "This excellent piece
of reportage offers testimony of a country delivered into chaos, and
forgotten by the rest of the world." – Le Monde
Fri Feb 8: 3:15 & 8:30; Sat Feb 9: 6;
Mon Feb 11: 2; Tue Feb 12: 3:15 & 8:30
Wed Feb 13: 2
JUNG (WAR): IN THE LAND OF THE MUJAHEDDIN
Fabrizio Lazzaretti & Alberto Vendemmiati, Afghanistan/Italy, 2000,
114m; video
No one who has seen JUNG (WAR): IN THE LAND OF THE MUJAHEDDIN, which
received its American premiere here during last year’s Human Rights
Watch International Film Festival, will ever forget it — few films have
done a better job of showing us the effects of war, both physical and
mental, on the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire. Since
September 11, many people have looked to Fabrizio Lazzaretti and Alberto
Vendemmiati’s film for information and understanding. These courageous
filmmakers, along with their brilliant editor and partner Giuseppe
Petitto, are not only great documentary filmmakers, but witnesses on the
front lines of history. Which is why they went back to Afghanistan in
September and continued to film Gino Strada and Kate Rowlands of
Emergency, who went to Kabul (still under Taliban control) to set up
another hospital for civilian war victims.
Sun Feb 10: 4:30
SPECIAL EVENT: NEW FOOTAGE PRESENTED BY THE FILMMAKERS OF JUNG
Fabrizio Lazzaretti & Alberto Vendemmiati, Afghanistan/Italy, 2000
Join us for a discussion with the filmmakers, who will be showing us
some of their new footage.
Co-Presented by the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival.
Sun Feb 10: 2 & 7
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