Feature documentary-in-progress, 75 minutes, color
UNFINISHED JOURNEY
This feature documentary is currently in production with HitPlay Productions, a co-production with Canada, France and Greece with the participation of CBC, ARTE and ERT. Amie Williams and Aeyliya Husain, Directors.
“We never wanted to leave our country. We are mothers of our families and our homeland. We will not abandon her.”
Homaira Ayubi, 51
“I do not feel good in this new country. Some of my children and family are still far from me, my family is in a bad situation.”
Zefnoon Safi, 62
“We are here for justice, and we will raise the face of justice, creating an international network of women.”
Hamideh Ahmedzai, 38
“Afghanistan has not been reported by Afghans. Especially its women. I ‘ve seen my colleagues disappear these past weeks. I cannot bear it to stay away.”
Nilofar Moradi, 26
Since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan last year, women and girls in the country are now more vulnerable than ever, prevented from going to schools, universities, shut out of the workforce, told what to wear and how to behave, with the threat of jail and even death hanging over them if they defy any order of these onerous restrictions. Besides the litany of new laws restricting women, no women are in positions of authority in the new Taliban government. A wide range of international humanitarian and women’s rights organizations and government officials have condemned these abuses and even mounted massive evacuations for the women most at risk: parliamentarians, judges, activists, and journalists. But what has not happened is a clear plan forward for these groups to work together to defend the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan or pressure the Taliban to stop, as they continue to tighten their draconian grip on society and turned the clock back on this long-suffering nation.
An Unfinished Journey is a cinematic, story-driven doc that explores what it means to have overcome incredible odds and faced fierce opposition to get elected to Parliament as lead your country as aa woman, only to watch then watch everything gets get ripped away from you, away, along with all your accomplishments and the gender rights you fought so hard for. But this is also a story of four remarkable women on a quest to get the world to listen.. With exclusive access, the film follows the struggles of these four women, three former Members of Parliament and one journalist, as they are evacuated out of Afghanistan to Greece and resettled in Canada, where they mobilize an international network to pressure the Taliban to recognize the rights of women and girls and to make this the fulcrum of negotiations with the Taliban for aid, and if they are to be recognized by the international community as a legitimate government.
Without a doubt, what is happening in Afghanistan is the most flagrant women’s rights crisis happening today, but for women all over the world, achieving equality has only come after a long struggle and at a very high price. Recent events in the United States with the pending reversal of Roe vs. Wade is a dangerous reminder that women’s rights are tenuous even in the most ‘developed’ countries. The battle for women’s rights is a universal story that for our four Afghan film participants has been and continues to be the story of their lives. Capturing their struggle to enlist women and men from every corner of the globe in their fight against the Taliban reminds the world that equality and justice is fragile for all of us.
For more information contact:
CANADA: NADINE PEQUENEZA – pequeneza@hitplayproductions.ca
FRANCE: CHARLOTTE UZU, Les Films D’ici – Charlotte.UZU@lesfilmsdici.fr
GREECE: REA APOSTOLIDES – rea@anemon.gr
