‘In This World’: MMB Film Group screening

In This World (Michael Winterbottom, 2002)

Shot on digital video camcorders, with non-professional actors, this drama documentary follows two young Afghan boys, Jamal Udin Torabi and his cousin Enayatullah, as they embark on an arduous journey from Shamshatoo refugee camp in Pakistan across Iran, Turkey, Italy and France to seek asylum in the UK. The film received widespread plaudits and won the Golden Bear Prize at the 2003 Berlin International Film Festival but it also raised questions around the ethics of its use of two non-professional child actors to play the lead roles, one of whom later repeated the journey to the UK to seek asylum.

Twenty years on, as the Taliban take control of Afghanistan, we use this screening to reflect on the impact of the US occupation and how Afghan’s who fled the conflict in their homeland have been viewed and treated on their traumatic journeys to safety.

The film is in Pashtu and Farsi with English subtitles.

The discussion will be led by Naz Massoumi, Lecturer in Film and Television and co-ordinator of the MMB film group in motion.

To register a place, please visit the Eventbrite page.

Places in the cinema are limited due to COVID restrictions. If university or government guidelines change before 6th October the event may be held online instead.

Everyone is welcome. We are seeking to make our events accessible to everyone, so please let us know if you face barriers we could address.

This event is part of MMB’s ‘Childhood on the Move’ series, which includes webinars, film screenings and blogs that open up the discussion about how child migrants are viewed around the world and how they challenge the stereotypes and controls placed upon them.