Filmed on location in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, an Afghan woman recalls how the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan led to her forced displacement and marriage.
Supported by
Community Broadcast Partner
Community Partner
Fereshta Afshar
Canada
2022
In Dari with English subtitles
Gender or Sexual Discrimination
Featured in:
VIFF Short Forum: Program 3
The camera eye knows no bounds in these stories that push the limits of gravity and grace.
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Sirât
A desperate father (Sergi Lopez) searchers for his missing daughter through the spiritual wasteland of the Moroccan desert. An unforgettable sensory powerhouse, Sîrat will have you riveted and rattled for hours after the end credits have rolled.
The Painted Life of E.J. Hughes
A beautiful portrait of E.J. Hughes, who quietly helped reshape the artistic landscape of British Columbia in the 20th century. This extraordinary documentary explores Hughes’s legacy not only as an artist, but as a devoted, humble human being.
Montreal, ma belle
In this Valentine to discovering love later in life, the ever-elegant Joan Chen plays Feng Xia, a 53-year-old Chinese immigrant and mother in Montreal whose world is turned upside down when she meets and falls in love with a young Quebecoise.
The Love That Remains
Anna and Magnús have separated, leaving her to raise their three children as he spends long stretches at sea, working as a fisherman. As the seasons pass, their emotions ebb and flow. A richly conceived story with unexpected delight and humour.
Girl
In this Lunar New Year gala premiere, we are delighted to present the directorial debut of Taiwanese superstar Shu Qi (Millennium Mambo; The Assassin; Resurrection). Girl is an autobiographical coming of age film about a troubled teenager in the 1980s.
The Princess Bride
VIFF Kids Club is our monthly family series with films, crafts and more! Doors at 11 am for activities, film at 12 pm. One of the most beloved movies of the 80s, The Princess Bride delivers a romantic, funny, swashbuckling fairy tale for kids of all ages.
Credits
Producer
Salar Pashtoonyar
Screenwriter
Salar Pashtoonyar
Cinematography
Parwiz Arify
Editor
Jalal Shams
Director
Salar Pashtoonyar
Salar Pashtoonyar is originally from Afghanistan and now based in Canada. As a director, his films have screened at festivals worldwide, including Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, and Palm Springs International ShortFest. After growing up as a refugee due to the wars in Afghanistan, he now explores the lives of ordinary people that deal with abnormal situations. Pashtoonyar holds degrees in Film Production from Toronto Film School and York University. His film Bad Omen (2020) was nominated for Best Canadian Short at the Canadian Screen Awards, and won the Bronze Medal at the 2021 Student Academy Awards.