KABUL - A young couple from different backgrounds question the marriages their parents have arranged. A taxi driver who has been shuttling through Kabul since the time of the King reflects on changes in the capital and relies on his wits to survive. A young woman flees a forced marriage by hiding in a mosque but is ultimately arrested by police who have been tipped off by one of the woman’s neighbors. Download Newspaper PDF

All these scenarios are short films that make up “Kabul, I Love You”, a feature film that will debut in the capital city in mid-May. Conceived and financed by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), the project offers a mosaic of stories, set in a variety of neighborhoods, offering a whirlwind tour of contemporary Afghan life in the capital.

“Filmmakers were selected to tell a story that illustrates the universality of love, and their love for the city of Kabul city, for its people, and for their country within a human rights context. This was an opportunity to rebuild a visual memory of Kabul,” said Shoresh Kalantari, the former head of UNAMA’s multimedia unit and the person who first conceived the idea for the movie.

When the project was advertised UNAMA received about 200 proposals. Choosing scripts took several months. The selection criteria included originality of the script, quality of previous work and technical competence. Script proposals also needed to adhere to the UN’s core values of respect for human rights and gender equality.

Each selected film was given a budget of about $8,000 dollars, and the filmmakers were asked to submit a ten minute short movie that would portray the joys and anxieties of life in Kabul.

In the end, eleven scripts were selected, yet only ten movies were completed. Upon receiving his grant money one young director chose instead to use the cash to fly to Switzerland where he sought asylum. Of the ten shorts produced nine written by men and one by a woman. There were nine male directors and one woman. The ages of those directors and scriptwriters ranged between 18 and 60, though most were in their 20’s and 30’s.

Filmmakers completed their movies over a four month period and submitted final cuts to UNAMA at the end of March, 2012.

“The producers and filmmakers had complete freedom in making their films. The only monitoring that took place was to ensure better quality of the films,” said Malik Shafiee, Line Producer for the project.

Shooting a film in Kabul posed unique challenges. Yasmeen Yarmal, the lone female director shot part of her movie at Kabul airport. Even after obtaining permission from authorities filming was nonetheless halted several dozen times by concerned security staff. Later, filming a scene at a hotel, she was confronted by residents who objected to a woman working as a filmmaker. It took another director, Farhad Reza-e, three weeks to find a mosque where he would be allowed to film inside.

“This was my first time shooting a movie in Afghanistan and it was a real learning experience. I was very surprised by how curious and involved onlookers became when I started shooting,” said Mr. Reza-e.

“Kabul, I Love You” will be premiere on 17 May 2012 at the French Institute in Kabul. Afterwards, plans exist to reach a larger audience by broadcasting the movie on Afghan national television and by touring remote parts of the country with a mobile cinema. The movie may also be entered into international movie festivals.

“Along with other development projects there is a need for cultural development, for opportunities for young Afghans to help shape the country’s new cultural identity,” said Ariadna Alvarado, a producer with the multimedia section of UNAMA. “The arts have a big role to play in promoting modern Afghan values.”