| "Zolykha's Secret" Director Horace Shansab |
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| Written by Brad Balfour | |
Zolykha's Secret (2007)directed by Horace ShansabA deeply moving account of a rural Afghan family struggling to eke out an existence during the brutal final years of Taliban rule - and the beginning of the new war that still rages. This is the first Afghan-produced feature to make it to the West since Siddiq Barmak's "Osama" won the 2004 Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film. Many children imagine "secret friends" whom only they can see. The figures little Zolykha imagines aren't quite so benign—in fact they're all the enemies who have attempted to invade and control her land throughout its turbulent history. Zolykha is an Afghan, the youngest of three children in a rural family that lives at the base of a remote mountain and struggles to eke out an existence during the brutal final years of Taliban rule. Their tale is told through Zolykha's receptive and curious eyes. Her family must overcome many hardships, but nothing can prepare them to resist the advent of the volatile Yusuf, who has allied himself with those in power and who now has eyes for Amena, Zolykha's 13-year-old sister. Director Horace Ahmad Shansab has managed to skillfully weave elements of Afghan culture through all aspects of this unforgettable film, and brilliantly realizes his goal to "remind its audience that we were all once helpless children, and that the lives of the poor, the voiceless and the desperate are just as precious and sweet as their own." An independent filmmaker and former National Geographic staff member, Horace Shansab worked in the documentary arena before returning to his native country of Afghanistan after September 11th. In Afghanistan, he taught Afghan women visual storytelling, trained filmmakers and recruited talent for projects including his first feature film, "Zolykha's Secret." Despite very difficult circumstances and a skeletal crew, "Zolykha's Secret" was filmed entirely in Afghanistan. Shansab had to wear many hats while making the film, but he was always inspired by the passion and imagination of his cast and crew. He'll continue training Afghan filmmakers and is planning to make three more films set in Afghanistan.
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