Kandahar (2001)

89% of critics liked it
(96 reviews)
72% of users liked it
(4,443 ratings)

Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf examines the troubling story of life in neighboring Afghanistan in this compelling drama. Nafas (Niloufar Pazira) is a reporter who was born in Afghanistan, but fled with her family to Canada as a child, escaping the violence of the country's political… More Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf examines the troubling story of life in neighboring Afghanistan in this compelling drama. Nafas (Niloufar Pazira) is a reporter who was born in Afghanistan, but fled with her family to Canada as a child, escaping the violence of the country's political instability. However, her sister wasn't so lucky; she lost her legs to a land mine while young, and when Nafas and her family left the country, her sister was accidentally left behind. Nafas receives a letter from her sister announcing that she's decided to kill herself during the final eclipse before the dawn of the 21st century; desperate to spare her sister's life, Nafas makes haste to Afghanistan, where she joins a caravan of refugees who, for a variety of reasons, are returning to the war-torn nation. As Nafas searches for her sister, she soon gets a clear and disturbing portrait of the toll the Taliban regime has taken upon its people. Also featuring Hassan Tantai and Sadou Teymouri, Safar E Gandehar was shown in competition at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Directed By: Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Andrei Kavun
Written By: Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Andrei Kavun
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Jan 1, 2001 Wide
Studio: Mars Films

Critic Reviews

Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
It's a simple series of snapshots from a country in pain.
Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic
Moves not like a story but a poem, and the images it presents to us are unforgettable.
Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel
Its themes are universal, its performances are effective in their simplicity and the direction is confident and unfussy.
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald
If the dramatics of the movie fail to engage as fully as they should, Kandahar remains fascinating as a piece of lyrical journalism.
Susan Stark, Detroit News
Intense, anecdotal and empowered by perversely beautiful imagery.
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press
Perhaps best appreciated as a record of what life was like before the U.S. invasion and as a lesson in why the rest of the world should have cared even before the terrorist attacks.
Lance Goldenberg, Weekly Planet (Tampa, FL)
As with so much in the Islamic world, there are things here that are profoundly beautiful, as well as much that is profoundly scary.
Jurgen Fauth, About.com
I would have recommended "Kandahar" at any time; current events make it a must-see film.
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine
Those interested in learning about the delightful home of Osama bin Laden would be well served checking out Kandahar.
Rich Cline, Film Threat
The result is stunning -- both as a narrative film and as a document of the place and time.
Christopher Smith, Bangor Daily News (Maine)
Kandahar consistently feels as if it was shot on the fly, which fuels its sense of urgency and deepens its emotional weight.
Jean Lowerison, San Diego Metropolitan
This film is more didactic and less cinematic than I might like, but Makhmalbaf speaks from the heart and the film should be judged accordingly.
Margaret A. McGurk, Cincinnati Enquirer
Both a fine example of the striking work being done by contemporary Iranian filmmakers and a near-documentary testament to the painful modern history of Afghanistan.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Yinalí R

Weird, didn't like it.
Joey N

Hmm This movie surprisingly kept my interest. Probably because it was so short. But I thought it had some disturbing, lyrical scenes. Worth a viewing, if you're feeling like learning about new cultures.
Leo L

An interesting movie that centralizes on a woman's journey to save her sister in a country she has not been to since childhood. Niloufar Pazira stars. Worthy!
Daisy M

KANDAHAR was a semi-documentary movie that told the journey of an Afghani female journalist resident in Canada, Nafas, to reach the city of Kandahar, where she hoped to rescue her sister from committing suicide during an eclipse.The plot was very thin and the acting was frequently… More
KANDAHAR was a semi-documentary movie that told the journey of an Afghani female journalist resident in Canada, Nafas, to reach the city of Kandahar, where she hoped to rescue her sister from committing suicide during an eclipse.The plot was very thin and the acting was frequently distracting, so it made it not a great drama. What was great, was the cinematography, filmed in the deserts of Afghanistan.. I liked the quote in the movie, when the doctor character said:"For women, hope is the day that they will be seen.The movie was a real and brutal portrayal of how women and children were treated in these countries. Disgusting.

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Kandahar (2001)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Yinalí R

Joey N

Leo L

Daisy M

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