Interview with the Writer/Director: Engineer Latif Ahmadi.
So first let's talk about
Gunah, because it was to be your first feature film. What's it about? It opens with a painter painting a female form, a nude portrait.
It's subject matter stayed with me for a long time. I took two years to write the script. I wanted to work with the class problems in our society. Afghanistan has the very rich and the very poor, two extremes. The rich are seeking happiness, via means of pleasure and relaxation. (not art). And the poor, who are often decent, kind honest people toil and work in the service of the rich. I could be said to be in the middle. The small middle class that we had in Afghanistan then. I had friends and relationships on both sides, and could feel and understand them quite well.
The opening scene is symbolic. The painter is working very seriously, finishing his painting. He must sell it in order to bring some money home to his family. He takes the painting to his patron, who insults him and his work. On the way home, he is hit by a car and dies. Sudden death is a common thing here, or someone disappears, goes missing or lies sick in bed. A family is left to fend for themselves. Mend life, find food, clothes, take a bus, go to school…
During the making of this film, the revolution happened. I was producing this film on my own, under my banner,
Ariana Films. After the revolution the government announced that we could no longer have private film companies. All films were to be made by Afghan Films. I was asked to join Afghan Films as head of the Film Direction department, and was ordered to make
Akhtar Maskara .
Pad.ma requires JavaScript.
