Farar (Escape) clip 1
Director: Eng. Latif Ahmadi
Duration: 00:09:25; Aspect Ratio: 1.366:1; Hue: 61.446; Saturation: 0.063; Lightness: 0.539; Volume: 0.182; Cuts per Minute: 11.457; Words per Minute: 80.304
Summary: Date (Afghan Calendar): 1365
The story of a family, and a pair of lovers, before and after the Sawr Revolution, including their attempt to escape Kabul. Incorporates actual documentary footage from the 7th of Sawr. Two clips uploaded, more digitized but not full film. Should be re-telecined for accurate color transfer.
Footage Source: Afghan Films DVCAM tape transfer
Translated by Rajni Prakash
feature clip
TV_AF
Gul Agha Jaan, the aroma of the Kebab is driving me mad.
Written, directed and edited by Engineer Latif Ahmadi. He also shot some of the scenes, but the main photographer was Qader Tahiri (director of Khan-e-Tarikh/House of History, 1996). Qader was nervous about shooting an entire feature film but Engineer Latif said, "Go ahead and do it. I'm with you all the way."
Latif: He was a very good photographer but he had not done much cinematography.
I had a very particular reason for making this film. After the communist revolution in Afghanistan most of the cultured, intellectual, professional and wise people did not want to work with the communist regime in Afghanistan. It was quite a tragedy for me to imagine that Afghanistan would be emptied of these kinds of people. Also, at that time, one always heard about incidents of people being smuggled or escaping into Pakistan. I spent a lot of time looking up the documents and statistics in the Ministry of Security. People would get killed, a lot of people were robbed of gold, or lost their money at that time. Women were often sold off to people in Arabic countries. I said to the ministry - I've written a script, I want to make a film that would prevent people from wanting to escape.
God forbid! God forbid! Now, give it to me. It is my turn, okay?
This is a lovely scene. The doctor and his family from Kabul decide to visit his old friend who lives in a village in Jalalabad. This was a common thing to do in the summer. People loved this scene because it was very real. People eating Chinori or Chopan kebab. ~ Engr Latif
This picnic scene (and the first half of the film) is set in a time just before the communist revolution.
Habiba Jaan, come and fetch this and give it to Doctor until the rest are done.
Coming, dad.
Come; grasp it from the handle so that your hand does not burn.
Give it to me, father.
Get up, my child, and wash the vegetables. Make it faster, son; cut it into pieces.
Javed, take a photograph of me.
Get up, Jamshid, spread the tablecloth for the doctor, jaan.
Hey, wait, wait! I also want to take a picture with you.
I will never let you.
Nargis, get up, my child.
Get up, children.
Come, take my photo.
Move back children. Go that way.
It is okay.
Oh, let us listen to the cassette.
Go away.
Dear uncle, when is the Kebab going to get ready?
It will be ready in a moment.
Then send some this way, for me.
By all means.
Noor Ahmad, my son, keep on cutting.
You have always been good with hospitality.
While filming this scene on this river embankment, we were being spied on by the Mujahideen from the hillside. Qader Tahiri was framing a shot with the mountainside as the backdrop. He had a 300mm telephoto lens. He said to me, "Engineer, do you know some Mujahideen are coming down the mountain with kalashnikovs?" They arrived on set & wanted to take people captive. We actually had to battle it out. There was actual fighting for over an hour! I remember this so clearly. Khurshid Mandozai who plays the mother here had brought her month-old infant with her for the shoot. To protect the baby girl from the sunlight we had made a small shelter with reeds & shrubs. When the fighting began, most of the cast ran into the water to cross over to the other side. In the panic & chaos of the moment, the baby was left behind on the island. We forgot her! After an hour of gun-fighting the soldiers who had accompanied us managed to dispel the Mujahideen. We went back, not just to rescue the baby, but to continue filming. This is my memory from this shoot! ~Engr Latif
Homaira Jaan, Kebab is ready. Would you like to have it here or I should send it there?
Please send it here, dear uncle.
Okay.
Dear mother, I want to eat something else too.
Homaira jaan,
Yes
Your food.
cassettes
Thank you.
Give me the tape recorder.
I request you listen to this song.
Farar 1987, about life before and after the Sawr revolution of 1978. Lyrics of this love song are by Walid Farwai. The music is composed by Abdullah Shadkam.
Two strands of your hair are strings of my Rubab,
What do you seek from my misery?
What do you seek from my misery?
If you do not share a bond with me,
why do you visit my dreams at midnight?
Why do you visit my dreams at midnight?
And when we were done, we were returning to Kabul by a military airplane. The entire unit of 40 were on board. The Mujahideen shot at our airplane. We lost an engine, and flew back to Kabul in a smoking plane and a single engine on the border between life and death.
Farar indeed!
My idol, why do you have to bother me?
If you're not my flower, why do you have to be a thorn?
If you don't take a burden off my shoulders
Then why do you have to add extra burden on them?
When you can't be sweet to me,
why do you have to prick me?
If you're not my beloved,
then why do you have to be with me?
If you cannot be a cure to my wounded heart,
then why do you have to pour salt on my open wound?
Why do you have to pour salt on my open wound?
This picnic scene (and the first half of the film) is set in a time just before the communist revolution.
What did you feel, Homaira?
Someone loves me like his own being.
Yes, Homaira, I feel so.
I have spoken the truth; there was nobody in my life. I have always been alone.
You are not alone any more, Homaira. Never.
I can understand. I believe you.
Homaira,
I can understand you.
What is happening; take care not to drop the child.
This is what we call a "jala". A raft made from "mashks". The owner is called a "jalawan". Salam Sangi, (a great actor!) plays the Jalawan and Nasir Aziz plays the young man. Salam Sangi now lives in Australia and Nasir Aziz returned from the US, and now works in Kandahar in an American base as a translator and interrogator. (Nasir plays the alcoholic in
Akhtar Maskara.) Fahrima plays the female lead.
You also come, uncle dear. God's name is great.
Watch your step.
Give me the child first.
Now you come down yourself. Come, it's okay. Okay!
Dear mother, take your child. Mother. She is confused. What is going on?
Salam dear Nisar.
Salam brother, how are you?
This is Homaira jaan.
Salam.
How are you? Are you fine? Welcome.
Thank you.
My guest wishes to ride on your Jala (boat).
Thousand times. Any time. Kindly come. Wait, wait, wait.
So, that your guest's feet do not get wet.
Get on.
Let me go first.
Please.
Watch your step.
Dear Hamid, hold her hand so that she doesn't fall. She is not used to it.
Hamid, Hamid, Hamid.
His face is very manly. His life begins and ends in the river.
nice boat
That is right.
He has turned himself into a bridge for people.
Well, people would also need him.
More than me, people of this village need doctors and medicine.
nice boat
There is no hospital here?
Hospital!
nice boat
No one thinks about these poor people, Homaira.
At the top of the mountain is the mausoleum. People come a long way to console themselves. They offer threads to wish their ailments away.
If they know they would be cured with medicine, then they would only go there to offer prayers. These people's hearts are really pure, Homaira.
Wait, let me help you.
You go, take your guest's hand, so that she doesn't fall.
Let me get up myself.
Be careful.
Hamid, Hamid,
Hamid, give me your hand.
Do not pull my hand, Hamid.
Okay, dear Nisar, thank you very much.
When will you be my guest, dear madam?
Thank you. May God give you a long life.
This is our tradition. The guest of any house is the guest of the entire village.
I can understand, dear Nisar, May God give you a long life. I do not want to bother you.
What trouble, Bibi jaan. Fish comes from this river, the firewood comes from the plains; there is no trouble for us.
Hamid jaan.
The village people are very hospitable.
May you be healthy, my brother.
Well, dear Nisar. We now go but we will see you later.
Thank you.
May you stay within God's protection, bye.
Do you recognize this tune? It's from an Indian film. Of course, it was played and recorded here at Afghan Film by our in-house musicians.
Afghan Films had in-house musicians who composed most of the soundtracks for the films. This is an instrumental rendition of
Neele Gagan Ke Tale , from the Indian film
Humraz (1967)
Another dangerous moment. It was just a crossing of only 50 metres but it was really deep, and the currents were quite strong. You can see how the actors are struggling to stay on the 'Jala'!
Fahrima (in the film): This week has gone by like a dream.
Engineer Latif: So they fall in love, and want to get married. But just on the eve of all of this, the revolution happens. He joins the democratic party, and her family wants to leave Afghanistan. We follow the pain and suffering and danger as the family leaves and heads towards the border. A good drama!
While we were filming this scene, on this island-like embankment on the river, we were being spied on by the Mujahideen from the hillside. Qader Tahiri was framing a shot with the mountainside as the backdrop. He had a 300mm telephoto lens. He said to me, "Engineer, do you know some Mujahideen are coming down the mountain with kalashnikovs? They arrived on the set and wanted to take away the women. We actually had to battle it out, and there was actual fighting for over an hour! I remember this so clearly. Khurshid Mandozai who plays the mother here had brought her month-old infant with her for the shoot. In order to protect the baby girl from the sunlight we had made a small shelter with the reeds and shrubs. When the fighting began, most of the cast ran into the water to cross over to the other side. In the panic and chaos of the moment, the baby was left behind on the island. We forgot her! After an hour of gun-fighting the soldiers who had accompanied us managed to dispel the Mujahideen. We went back, not just to rescue the baby, but to continue filming. This is my memory from this shoot!
We are leaving.
nice commentary
A week passed like a dream, Homaira.
Hamid! Tell me you will never forget anything.
Ha! Will you wait for me?
Till I am alive.
Do you promise?
I swear.
Goodbye, Hamid.
You come later, Hamid.
Leaving?
Yes, bye.
Pad.ma requires JavaScript.
