(Herat) – Afghanistan’s first international women’s film festival has opened in the western city of Herat. The event, which will run from March 7 to March 9, features 30 films from 20 countries including Afghanistan, Iran, India, Canada, South Korea, China, and Bangladesh. Roya Sadat, chairwoman of the festival, said the festival was designed to “build a better connection between the Afghan women in and outside the country” and act as a forum to debate the challenges they face.
“After the rule of the Taliban, the situation improved in our country particularly for women. Afghan women have joined the cinema in the past few years, and their interests for performing in movies have increased everyday,” said actress and director Aqeela Rezayee. “For many people, Afghan women working in movies is an unacceptable thing. I believe the fact that women are playing roles in movies will probably change the image of Afghan women in a positive way,” she added.
