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Content |
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| In
Kabul, Afghanistan, as the country struggles to recover from war, there
are still 50,000 street children. Afghan film director Siddiq Barmak attempted
to produce a powerful movie to describe his hope for freedom and liberty
after an eight year absence. One day, he met Marina, a girl begging on the
street, who had lost her family and lived in fear. She became the main character
in his film, and the expression in her eyes so strongly influenced the director
that he was moved to change the intended ending of the film. The program
exposes the misery of war beginning with an encounter between a desperate
girl and a film director. It describes the trauma hidden deep in Marina’s
heart. |
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Jury Comments |
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Beneath
the superficial conclusion that “war is hell” lurk conflicting
questions about the survival of human dignity in a war zone. Deeply disturbed
by the techniques used to create this documentary portrait of the young
Afghan girl and seared by the painful experience of witnessing Afghan film
director Siddiq Barmak’s treatment of Marina in the making of his
feature film, jury members were deeply affected by this glimpse of life
in a shattered country. The ultimate selection was a difficult one; profoundly
divergent opinions remain.
The documentary challenges
broadcasters, educators and filmmakers to examine their motives and responsibilities
when probing painful subjects. Jurors were left with the feeling that audiences
may dispute the necessity of viewing Marina’s suffering but to bear
witness to the atrocities of war, they must acknowledge the requirement
that programs must provoke powerful emotions to have lasting impact. |
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Producer's comments |
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| Mr. Naofumi Nakamura, Producer, Japan Broadcasting
Corporation (NHK) |
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I
never expected that our program would receive this award when I was single-mindedly
covering Kabul during sandstorms. I sincerely thank Marina, film director
Siddiq Barmak, and many other Afghan people.
This award reminded me
of the words of Iranian film director Mohsen Makhmalbaf, who was deeply
involved in this first movie produced after the demise of the Taliban. “The
key for the Afghan future is education.” Even though bigger countries
have interfered many times, Afghanistan is a country, which could not
end
its history of war for 23 years. The groundwork for the misfortunes of
war and poverty is people’s ignorance and lack of education. Real
help for Afghanistan to lead to independence is long-term education.
Recently, the Taliban
and Al-Qaeda have again become activate in Afghanistan and public safety
is deteriorating. It is whispered that even the United Nations is withdrawing.
We desperately hope that not only Marina but also all Afghan children can
receive equal education and that they themselves will build up their country. |
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