KHAKESTAR-O-KHAK (EARTH AND ASHES)

Afghanistan/France, 2004, 102 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Atiq Rahimi.

A film from Afghanistan in the aftermath of Taleban wars and American invasion and bombings. The film concerns itself with bombings and the destruction of villages and the deaths of innocent civilians – but does not specify who are the initiators of the bombings. It does not matter since the film is a powerful denunciation of indiscriminate bombing and killing.

An old man and his grandson are walking in the middle of the desert to seek a lift to go to visit the mine where the old man’s son works as a miner. He wants to tell him about the disaster for the family. They are stranded while they wait for the truck to the mind. As they wait, they encounter a little girl with whom the boy plays and her shell-shocked mother sheltering in the shade of a tank. A kindly storekeeper gives them food and credit as well as stories about the upheaval in the cities and the ambitions of his military son. There are drivers who collect sheep and goats who have trodden on mines. There is a seller of wooden toys. Though their lives have become somewhat aimless, they have some sense of purpose.

The film is beautifully photographed in widescreen. It is also full of deep humanity. The old man is so convincing, it is difficult to believe he is acting. His grandson has been deafened by the bombs but thinks that everyone has become mute.

The style of the film is slow in the Iranian manner, but its cumulative effect is strong.

1. The impact of the film? For those in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries? For overseas audiences? A picture, a contemplation, a challenge?

2. The wide-screen location photography, the mountains and the desert, the road and the bridge, the fields, the store, the final mine and the offices? The musical score?

3. The confined locations, the audience immersed in the desert, in the experience of the old man and the boy, the sense of loss, the sadness of war and death, imagination, the possibilities of hope?

4. The slow style of the photography, editing? The long takes, vehicles moving in the distance coming to the foreground in the desert? The focus on the human elements, the grandfather and the boy, the people travelling through, the people at the bridge? The mine?

5. The grandfather, his age, dignity, his simplicity, his asceticism? His experience of the bombing of his village? The death of his wife, the close family, the survival of Yassin? His decision to go and see his son, travelling with the boy, on the back of trucks? Waiting at the bridge? The way that he was treated – by the kindly storekeeper? By the drivers? By the man selling rattles? His waiting, missing the truck, the boy playing in the fields, the sheep, the mine blowing up? Missing the truck? Walking back to the village, getting the lift? His meeting his relation, his being stunned by the deaths, sitting at the grave, the explanation of the old woman? The return to the bridge, the boy playing, giving him something to eat, to drink? The danger of missing the truck again? The conversation with the man at the store, his gifts and hospitality? The men going to get the animals destroyed by the mine? His finding the driver of the truck, the truck driver being urged on but kindly taking him? His imagination about what had happened, especially to his daughter-in-law, imagining her running naked, throwing out the cloth that she could put it on? Leaving the boy behind? The visit to the mine, the discussions with the manager, the discovery that the news had got there, that it was considered a lie, that his son was working? His not believing his son was alive unless he saw him? His having to return, leaving the token of the snuff box? His lament about his son not returning to the village? His returning to find the boy – and the film ending, leaving the audience wondering about the future?

6. Yassin, five years old, his witnessing the bombing and the deaths, his going deaf, not acknowledging this, thinking that everyone else was mute, including the donkeys and the rattle? With his grandfather, impetuous, playing, the sheep in the field, the mine blowing up? Playing with the girl, going into the tank? Thinking that the tank had stolen the voices? Returning to the village with his grandfather, waiting at the bridge, going into the tank, looking for the voices? The rattle and his disappointment that it had no sound? His being left with the storeman? What hopes for the future?

7. The man at the store, his telling the story about the son who was the officer and became pompous, the father disowning him and moving away from the city? His being that man? The comments by the others about what a good man he was? Kindness, offering water, tobacco, not taking the money? Minding the boy?

8. The people at the bridge, the men getting the carcasses of the animals blown up, giving lifts? The man selling toys, his being hard – but relenting, listening to the boy? The truck driver going to the mine? The mine foreman, the managers at the mine? The woman hiding at the tank, the young girl and her playing? A picture of an isolated group?

9. The anonymity of the war, Afghanistan bombings or American bombings? The lack of relevance of who did the bombing but the impact of the terrible destruction?