Afghanistan’s documentary film ‘Bread and Roses’ will soon hit the cinemas. This documentary sheds light on the lives of women in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The film is directed by Afghan filmmaker Suhra Mani, while Jennifer Lawrence and Malala Yousafzai are key contributors to the project.
This documentary will be telecast on 22nd November 2024 on Appel TV Plus.
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The film revolves around three Afghan women, Dr. Zahra Mohammadi, Sharifa Mohdzada, and Tarnam Sedhi, who continue their resistance despite the restrictions imposed by the Taliban.
What is interesting is that these women have filmed their lives themselves, which gives a real picture of their conditions and struggles. It has been highlighted, which many experts termed as “gender apartheid”.
Director Sahra Mani trained local women to use cameras to effectively communicate their stories to the world.
Speaking at an event, Jennifer Lawrence emphasized the need to bring global attention to the plight of Afghan women, while Malala Yousafzai said the film is a reflection of women’s courage and the fight for rights. The title ‘Bread and Rose’ symbolizes the ongoing struggle for women’s freedom and equality.
While, Nobel laureate and survivor of a Taliban gunman’s attack in 2012 Malala Yousafzai now lends her voice to millions of Afghan women who live under grave oppression by the Taliban regime.
Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, women’s rights have been dismantled piece by piece. Malala, who has fought for equality for years, was dazed by how fast those rights were erased. “I never thought that the rights of women would be compromised so easily,” she said, describing the current situation as “hopeless and depressing” for Afghan women.
Women’s Rights Under Siege
Under the Taliban’s so-called “morality laws,” Afghan women are subjected to severe restrictions: they must be entirely covered, can’t go anywhere without a male companion, and are even prohibited from gazing at unrelated men. Education has also been a particular focus, with more than a million girls excluded from school and 100,000 women expelled from university in 2022.
“The Taliban know that to take away women’s rights, you have to begin at the foundation, and that is education,” Malala said. The United Nations describes Taliban policies as “gender apartheid,” saying that such discrimination should be recognized internationally as a crime.
A Story of Resistance
Afghan women, despite such a suppressive environment, are out there defying the odds. Malala highlighted this courage: “Despite all these challenges, they’re out on the streets risking their lives for a better future.”
This is the defiance at the heart of Bread & Roses, a documentary by Malala, following the lives of three Afghan women living under the Taliban. The film, directed by Afghan filmmaker Sahra Mani and co-produced by US actress Jennifer Lawrence, portrays the struggles of a dentist forced to abandon her practice, an activist fleeing to the border, and a government employee who loses her job and independence.
“It’s not just about these three women,” Malala explained. “It’s about the 20 million Afghan girls and women whose stories may never be told.”
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