In this intimate and immersive portrayal of Afghan society and its treatment of women, the Emmy-nominated director Tanaz Esaghian goes where few journalists have ever been: Kabul’s Badam Bagh Women’s Prison. There she discovers the heartbreaking stories of its “moral prisoners,” who have been given lengthy prison sentences for premarital sex, running away from home, or adultery. Esaghian gains unprecedented access to the Afghan judicial system, and to those imprisoned for “crimes” barely noticed in other countries. The light-hearted yet absolute candor of these women is tinged by the anger, resentment, and proud sense of rebellion that is justifiably theirs. Shwetika Baijal
Photographed by Kat Patterson. (71 mins, In Dari & Pashto with English subtitles, Color, Video)
(in conjunction with) San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival
Each year, the Center for Asian American Media brings us the best in contemporary cinema from Asia and the Asian diaspora. The thirtieth installment of this adventurous festival at the PFA Theater features films and documentaries from China, the Philippines, New Zealand, Cambodia, South Korea, the United States, and a rarity from Burma. An intimate conversation with child star and playwright Cherylene Lee, a poetic meditation on the 2011 Japanese tsunami, an unusual look at a women’s prison in Kabul, and the epic Asian American indie feature In the Family round out a week of discoveries and revelations.
We anticipate having filmmakers and special guests in person at many of the screenings—please check bampfa.berkeley.edu for the latest updates. For even more national and regional cinema, alternative media, and special events, check the complete festival schedule at caamedia.org.
Steve Seid, Video Curator
A presentation of the Center for Asian American Media.
Program notes are adapted from the festival catalog.
Special admission prices apply:
General admission: $12; CAAM and BAM/PFA members, UC Berkeley students: $10 (limit 2 tickets per person per program); Non-UC Berkeley students, seniors, and disabled persons: $11 (limit 1 ticket per person per program). Advance tickets for festival programs at the PFA Theater are available at the PFA Theater box office and BAM/PFA admissions desk, online, or by phone at (510) 642-5249. Please note that our second-feature discount does not apply to these programs. Tickets are nonrefundable, and may not be exchanged.
PFA General:
2575 Bancroft Way
Berkeley, CA 92027
(510) 642-1412
