Dutch-Afghan filmmaker Dawood Hilmandi confronts his authoritarian father’s violent past in a journey through Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq. Blending family, faith, and migration, the film explores healing, freedom, and the power of creativity in the face of alienation.

Director(s): Dawood Hilmandi | 2025 | 97 Min.
Language: Dari, English, Dutch with English subtitles
Country: The Netherlands, Afghanistan, Iran

Screenings and tickets

Sunday 16 August 2026, 15:00

Saturday 15 August 2026, 17:00

Director(s)

Dawood Hilmandi is an Afghan-born filmmaker and artist whose work probes the boundaries of cinematic form. Freedom and creativity are the twin engines of his practice, fueling a deep inquiry into the structures that shape identity and belonging. His acclaimed video essay ‘Me Montage’ opened the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, a testament to its innovative style. This recognition was reinforced when he won the top prize for a feature film project pitch at the Locarno Film Festival in 2017. Hilmandi recently completed his first feature-length documentary, Paikar, which premiered at IDFA in 2025.