Director: Atiq Rahimi
Cinematographer: Jacques Besse, Sabrina Varani, Atiq Rahimi
Editor: Rafi Pitts, Florence Leconte
Sound: Renaud Marlin, C. Charpail
Production: Arte France, NMO, Play Film
Distribution:
Playfilm
14 rue Moulin Joly
75011 Paris
France
Tel: 0033 1.49.23.08.79 / 01.40.21.09.90
Fax: 0033 1.40.21.88.44
Mail: [email protected]
Year: 2002
Beta SP, Colour, 52 min
OV with French Subtitles
In 1973, eleven-year-old Atiq Rahimi is preparing the entrance examination for the French-Afghan college Estiqa. This is the very year when Daoud puts an end to the monarchy by overthrowing the king, his cousin and brother-in-law. As a monarchist, Atiq Rahimi's father is sent to jail. The young boy cannot quite understand his father's attachment for the king and why he keeps repeating that " the coup will cost the A to Afghanistan".
Beginning with an "A," Afghanistan means land of Afghans, without the a it becomes " fhanistan", which means land of lamentations. The events which have followed unfor tunately proved this prophecy was true.
The film is a long journey exploring the last thirty years, the journey of the director who searches for a broken mirror and tries to put pieces together to find his identity, his country, his destiny, which, after September 11Th 2001, has also become the world's destiny..