KABUL, BETWEEN PRAYERS

A profound documentary meditation on daily life in Kabul under Taliban rule, following the brothers Samim (23), a soldier deeply devoted to the ideology, navigating between aspirations of martyrdom and the banality of life as a farmer and husband, and his younger brother Rafi (14), on the threshold of adolescence and drawn to Samim’s authoritarian figure, in a world shaped by decades of conflict and radicalization. Amini employs an observational and empathetic style, avoiding imposed narration, to convey the dignity, confusion, and humanity of the characters in a city that becomes a protagonist: Kabul, where prayers that mark the rhythm of daily life highlight the omnipresent religious framework guiding the destinies of both generations. This visual introspection immerses the viewer in an uncomfortable yet essential reality, where the longing for avenging martyrdom, born from decades of oppression, is woven into the very fabric of Afghan youth.