Films About Afghanistan

Rise: Revolutionary Women Reenvisioning Afghanistan

Made in partnership with RAWA, this short documentary was one of the few early Western films about the struggles of Afghan women.

In the weeks following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the USA and Britain began launching air strikes against Afghanistan, after the Taliban refused to disclose the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden and members of the Al-Qaeda network. In November 2001, the United Front/Northern Alliance forces together with U.S. forces, seized Mazar-I- Sharif and just days later marched into Kabul.

Only two women were selected as part of the 30-member interim government, composed mainly of Northern Alliance members; notably, the public health minister, Suhaila Seddiqi, and the minister of women’s affairs, Sima Samar. According to the framework agreement, the interim bodies were supposed to ensure the participation of women as well as equitable representation of all ethnic and religious communities.

Watch “Rise” and read more about the status of women in Afghanistan as the country attempts to rebuild here.