Afghan Marathon

Territoires cinématographiques is a dialogue between live performance and cinema, devised in collaboration with Utopia cinemas in Avignon. It’s a daily programme of film screenings, after which the public meet and talk with theatre artists, choreographers, filmmakers, activists, critics and journalists invited to the Festival d’Avignon. This space explores the intimate relationships that these guests maintain between disciplines and with the world. It’s a place to take a broader look at the themes brought to the stage, the territories of the guest language and by the Café des idées. 

The Swallows of Kabul | 11am

Zabou Breitman // France // Animation // 2019 // 1h21

Summer 1998, Kabul in ruins is occupied by the Taliban. In love despite the daily violence and misery, Mohsen and Zunaira want to believe in the future. But a senseless act by Mohsen will upset their lives forever.

A letter to the president | 12:40pm

Roya Sadat // Afghanistan // Drama // 2017 // 1h23 // Original version with French subtitles (VOSTFR)

Soraya, a low-level government official, is imprisoned when she defends a woman from village lords. Behind bars, she writes the Afghan President for help.

Inside Kaboul | 3pm

Caroline Gillet // France // Short film // 2024 // 29min

Inside Kabul follows Marwa and Raha, two friends living in Kabul. When the country fell to the Taliban they began sending voice messages to their friend, journalist.

Screening followed by a discussion with Caroline Gillet.
Moderated by Diane Fogelman from Amnesty International.

Sima’s Song | 5pm

Roya Sadat // Spain - Netherlands - France // Drama // 2024 // 1h37 // Original version with French subtitles (VOSTFR)

Suraya, a communist, Sima, a conservative - whose friendship endures despite radically opposing political views. 

The Orphanage | 7pm

Shahrbanoo Sadat // Afghanistan // Drama // 2019 // 1h30 // Original version with subtitles (VOST)

A 15-year-old ticket scalper in Kabul dreams of Bollywood until the Soviets force him into a state facility. 

Wolf and Sheep | 8:45pm

Shahrbanoo Sadat // Afghanistan // Drama // 2016 // 1h26 // Original version with French subtitles (VOSTFR)

Based upon unpublished diaries, the film assumes the role of an anthropologist observing remote shepherd communities in Afghanistan where wolves and sheep have equal importance.  

Writting Hawa | 10:30pm

Najiba Noori // France - Netherlands // Documentary // 2024 // 84min // Original version with French subtitles (VOSTFR)

A 52-year-old Hazara woman, Hawa, embarks on a journey of self-emancipation after an arranged marriage, educating herself, starting a textile business, until their lives are disrupted by the Taliban's resurgence in 2021.