Afghan directors to discuss Taliban takeover

New Delhi: The 'Venice International Film Festival' has invited Afghan filmmakers Sahraa Karimi and Sahra Mani to talk about the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan with 'particular attention to the situation of filmmakers and artists' since the hard-line religious group seized control of the country.

The 78th edition of the movie gala, also called 'La Biennale di Venezia', will be held on the Lido from September 1 to September 11, 2021.

According to Biennale's official website, the panel will take place September 4 at 3 pm at the Palazzo del Casino (Lido of Venice), in the 'Press Conference Room'.

The topic of the panel is 'the dramatic situation of Afghan filmmakers and artists in general, the need for the creation of humanitarian corridors and the guarantee of the granting of political refugee status, as well as concern for their future and the need to provide for their accommodation once they arrive in Europe'.

Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan on August 15, several Afghans fled the country, many of whom said they had been threatened by the Taliban.

Karimi, who is the first female president of the 'Afghan Film Organisation', wrote an open letter requesting the film community of the world to be the voice of the people of Afghanistan which went viral ahead of the Taliban takeover. Her feature 'Hava, Maryam, Ayesha' was screened in Venice's Horizons (Orizzonti) sidebar in 2019.

The panel will be moderated by Italian journalist Giuliano Battiston, who since 2007 has dedicated himself to Afghanistan with travel, research and essays.

The initiative will also feature the members of the board of the 'International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk' (ICFR); Vanja Kaludjercic (Artistic Director, 'International Film Festival of Rotterdam'); Orwa Nyrabia (Artistic Director, 'International Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam'); Mike Downey (President; 'European Film Academy') and Matthijs Wouter Knol (Executive Director, 'European Film Academy').