Love Marriage in Kabul

Overview

From director Amin Palangi, Love Marriage in Kabul is a documentary that looks at the complexities of courtship, in the backdrop of a severely patriarchal society. He depicts a world where marriage does not get to be an equal choice between two people, but a decision completely out of their control.

At the centre of the documentary is Mahboba Rawi, a former refugee from Afghanistan who now lives in Australia. She has created a charity to raise funds that provides support and education for more than 2,000 widows and orphans in Afghanistan. Mahboba is determined to help one of her charges, Abdul who is in love with the girl next door, Fatemeh. They face strong opposition and unreasonable demands from her father, obstructing any chance that they could get married.

The filmmaker, Amin Palangi, feels a responsibility to delve into the intricate cultural structures that determines the everyday life of inhabitants. He sees it as his mission to foster identification, rather than otherness for western viewers.

The documentary won the Audience Award in the 2014 Sydney Film Festival. Screenings in Melbourne will start on November 13 at Cinema Nova. Tickets can be pre-purchased online. Proceeds from ticket purchases will help support Mahboba's charity.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=bl3JiIOlGt8