"Talibanistan" by Anders Sømme Hammer – a preview screening and discussion
The Fritt Ord Foundation invites the public to a preview screening of the documentary film “Talibanistan” by Anders Sømme Hammer on Monday, 22 February 2016, from 7.00–9.00 p.m. at the Fritt Ord Foundation’s premises, Uranienborgveien 2, Oslo. The screening will be followed by a discussion between Anders Sømme Hammer and Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of PRIO. “Talibanistan” is a documentary about the serious situation in Afghanistan, where the director has met and conducted in-depth interviews with seven members of the Taliban in the field, war victims and activists.
The event is fully booked.
Registration: registering@frittord.no
The Taliban stands stronger than ever in Afghanistan since the US-led invasion in 2001. Not since the fundamentalist movement governed the country, has it controlled larger areas, and the rebels now threaten to take a number of cities. Norway is one of the countries trying to facilitate a peace treaty between the Taliban and Afghani authorities. In this documentary, we meet members of the Taliban from seven different groups in the field. They talk about why they are fighting, and about how they live. We also meet civilians who have been affected by the war in different ways since the Norwegian soldiers withdrew from their areas. Afghani women’s activists report that they are afraid that their rights will be the first thing sacrificed in peace negotiations. By 1 June this year, a government-appointed committee will file an evaluation report on Norway’s civilian and military participation in Afghanistan. This film depicts conditions on the ground today.
The documentary was filmed and directed by Anders Sømme Hammer, a long-time resident of Afghanistan, who now makes conflict documentaries with support from the Fritt Ord Foundation’s programme “Quality journalism in a new era”. Hammer was awarded to the Freedom of Expression Foundation Prize in 2011 for his independent coverage of the war in Afghanistan.
The documentary was made in collaboration with the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation’s programme Brennpunkt and aired on NRK 1 on Tuesday, 23 February 2016. The film can be viewed online at NRK.no.
Update
Thank you all for coming!
A recording of the discussion between Anders Sømme Hammer and Kristian Berg Harpviken has now been posted on the Fritt Ord Foundation’s YouTube channel.
