Kabul, Between Prayers

Kabul – Between Prayers is, true to its name, a portrayal of life in Kabul in the intervals between prayers. The perspective is that of a young Afghan man, Samimi, and his brother Rafifi, who is 14 years old. The film listens to its protagonists and gives a face to what is often perceived in the West as the politics of extremity. It draws a multi-layered portrait of people who adhere to a fundamentalist ideology while simultaneously struggling with human contradictions and worldly desires.

The film does not present itself as a commentary or a call to intervene in Afghanistan’s situation, and leaves it up to the viewer to decide what to think of the protagonists. It also reveals the great power politics that operate as a force behind extremist movements. The documentary unfolds at an unhurried pace, as if breathing with the city of Kabul, allowing the viewer to pause for prayer alongside the protagonists.

Aboozar Amini’s film seeks to encounter its subjects as individuals rather than as faceless Taliban soldiers. The documentary departs from the narratives often presented by Western media about Taliban fighters. It gently and consolingly dismantles the boundary we so often draw between extremism and humanity.

Heta Heikkala