New Documentary a Timely Reminder of Recent History

Afghanistan has often been in the news lately, along with the Taliban, Al-Qaida, international aid workers, and the American military presence. “Kabul 24,” a new documentary making the rounds of film festivals and scheduled for DVD release in a couple of weeks, explores some of the issues behind the current situation by examining one of the incidents that led to it.

During the summer of 2001, in Kabul, Afghanistan, 24 workers for the German-based humanitarian group Shelter Now International (SNI) were suddenly arrested by the Taliban. Besides 16 Afghans involved with the group, eight foreigners—including four Germans, two Australians, and two Americans—were thrown into prison. Some had been working for many years among the Afghans, others just a few months.

The purported crime they were finally accused of was attempting to convert Muslims to Christianity, an offense for which the six women and two men might be executed according to local laws.

The trials dragged on and judges ignored evidence by a Pakistani defense lawyer, who was familiar with both Muslim and international laws. A little over a month after the arrest came the September 11th attacks, and suddenly the eight westerners became hostages intended for political bargaining leverage. It appeared as if the arrest had been carefully timed.

The movie “Kabul 24” recreates the events of the prisoners’ capture, 105-day incarceration, and eventual escape. Combining interviews with each of the eight social workers and others involved with new footage shot on the actual locations and narration by actor Jim Caviezel, the documentary presents a gripping story of survival.

It gives a vivid look at the workers’ personal experience, their observations of the attitudes of a variety of different Afghans, and the role of their own strong religious faith during their ordeal. This included being shuffled from prison to prison, surviving the heavy bombing of Kabul, and encountering other political prisoners, especially women. The faces of most Afghans interviewed on camera were blurred out to avoid possible repercussions with the volatile political changes in that country.

Also interviewed was a British journalist who visited the country and was briefly detained with the group, before ultimately being released as an “undesirable” after long and loudly profane protests. She comments that during her imprisonment she was caught in the middle of religious extremists on one side and religious extremists on the other side.

Produced by Michael W. Smith and directed by Ben Pearson, “Kabul 24” is an effective true-life story focusing on the eight western aid workers and the experience of dealing with people who must cope with habitual subjugation of women, constant civil strife, and oppressive, often-changing regimes.

The movie runs 89 minutes and the DVD is letterboxed to a 1.66:1 aspect ratio, though not using anamorphic enhancement, so it will look letterboxed on a standard TV, but on a widescreen TV it will appear to “float” within a black frame. Bonus features on the DVD include several extended sequences that had been shortened for the final cut, and brief character descriptions of each of the eight westerners through interviews with each of the other seven. Released by Sound Enterprises, Inc., the movie can be ordered on line at http://www.kabul24movie.com.

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