The Forbidden Reel

Mar 3, 2020

2h 1m

★ 8.0

Overview

According to the official history of Afghanistan, ruthless destruction has always prevailed over art and creation; but there is another tale to be told, the forgotten account of a diverse and progressive country, seen through the lens of innovative filmmakers, a story that survives thanks to a few brave Afghans, a small but very passionate group that secretly fought to save a huge film archive that was constantly menaced by war and religious fanaticism.

Genres

Documentary

History

Production Companies

Loaded Pictures

ONF | NFB

TVO

Al Jazeera English

The Forbidden Reel Trailers

Cast

Child Siddiq

Ahmed Zahed

Projectionist

Adbul Rasool Khalaqi

Soviet Spy #1

Hamsafar Azam

Soviet Spy #2

Khaled Aziz

Afghan Films President

Mohamad Yaqood

Taliban #1

Farooq Ghulam Baraki

Taliban #2

Jamil Dakohai

Taliban #3

Safiulla Sadiqi

Taliban #4

Zakarya Amin

Siddiq's Mother

Koko Gul

Self - Filmmaker

Ibrahim Arify

Self - Former Taliban Official

Isaaq Nezami

The friendship between Christophe de Ponfilly and Commander Massoud, a legendary figure of the Afghan resistance against the Soviet invader, goes back to the filmmaker's first film, "A Valley Against an Empire", made in 1981. Fifteen years later, weakened, isolated, betrayed by many of his own, the "Lion of Panshir" has not surrendered to his new and implacable enemies, the Taliban. While preparing his next offensive, he evokes his commitment and his fights, and bears witness to a history in which he has been one of the main actors for twenty years. At the same time, the director questions the role and power of the media, as well as his own approach as a filmmaker. Commander Massoud was killed in an attack in September 2001.

7.5

Never Die Young

Sep 24, 2014

An unnamed man narrates the downward trajectory of his life from beyond the grave, from delinquency to the string of fateful decisions and foolhardy moves that tied him inextricably to the opiate that was the elusive love of his life.

7.8

Zombies in the Sugar Cane Field: The Documentary

Nov 8, 2019

Tucumán, Argentina, 1965. Three years before George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead was released, director Ofelio Linares Montt shot Zombies in the Sugar Cane Field, which turned out to be both a horror film and a political statement. It was a success in the US, but could not be shown in Argentina due to Juan Carlos Onganía's dictatorship, and was eventually lost. Writer and researcher Luciano Saracino embarks on the search for the origins of this cursed work.

6.5

Witchfinder General

May 17, 1968

England, 1645. The cruel civil war between Royalists and Parliamentarians that is ravaging the country causes an era of chaos and legal arbitrariness that allows unscrupulous men to profit by exploiting the absurd superstitions of the peasants; like Matthew Hopkins, a monster disguised as a man who wanders from town to town offering his services as a witch hunter.

0.0

Soleil Noir

Feb 14, 2020

No overview available.

7.2

Stanisław Lem: Autor Solaris

Nov 2, 2016

An account of the life and work of the Polish writer Stanisław Lem (1921-2006), a key figure in science fiction literature involved in mysteries and paradoxes that need to be enlightened.

3.0

Big Big Big

Nov 12, 2019

A couple decides to watch Big, a successful film released in 1988, starring Tom Hanks and directed by Penny Marshall, not once, but thirty times, sometimes accompanied by family and friends who come to their home to watch and discuss it.

5.5

Empire of Silver

Feb 12, 2009

In 1899, Lord Kang must decide which of his three sons will take over his family's Chinese banking empire. When circumstances dictate that he appoint his unreliable youngest son, family bonds are pushed to the limit as father and son clash in a climate of political turmoil. Winner of the Special Jury Award at the 2009 Shanghai International Film Festival.

8.0

Stronger Than a Bullet

Nov 20, 2017

Iran, January 16th, 1979. Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi flees after being overthrown. Ayatollah Khomeini returns to Tehran and proclaims the Islamic Republic on April 1st, 1979. In the same year, Saddam Hussein seizes power in Iraq and, after several border skirmishes, attacks Iran on September 22nd, 1980, initiating a cruel war that will last eight years. Since its outbreak, correspondent Saeid Sadeghi documented it from its beginning to its bitter end.

10.0

The Conscience

Jun 15, 2021

Petrograd, Soviet Union, 1920s. Boris Letush, devastated by a personal tragedy, feels the need to put his conscience and his principles before the demands of the cruel system he serves, where law and justice are systematically ignored.

7.1

Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood

Mar 9, 2003

The chronicle of the mind-blowing journey that was Hollywood during the seventies; the true and gripping story of the last golden age of American cinema, an exalted celebration of creativity and experimentation; but also of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll: a turbulent and dark tale of ambition, envy, betrayal, hatred and self-destruction.

4.8

Shake Hands with Danger

Jun 3, 1980

This short cautionary training film examines dangers associated with earthmoving equipment operation, showing many simulated accidents on construction sites.

7.0

The Cult Next Door

Feb 28, 2017

A short documentary featuring a brief overview of Bill Gothard's ministries, and some of the consequences for his followers.

6.3

Great Balls of Fire!

Jun 30, 1989

The story of Jerry Lee Lewis, arguably the greatest and certainly one of the wildest musicians of the 1950s. His arrogance, remarkable talent, and unconventional lifestyle often brought him into conflict with others in the industry, and even earned him the scorn and condemnation of the public.

No Image Available

0.0

Plameny nad Národním divadlem

Sep 6, 2022

No overview available.

6.6

Salman Rushdie: Death on a Trail

Jan 8, 2019

An intimate portrait, in his own words, of the Indian writer Salman Rushdie, author of The Satanic Verses (1988), thirty years after the fatwa uttered by the Iranian Ayatollah Khomeini: his youth in multicultural Bombay, his life in England, his many years of forced hiding, his thoughts on President Trump's United States of America.

5.0

100 Miles to Redemption

Jul 1, 2022

A poignant story about overcoming our demons and finding hope through darkness. Haunted by the affects of PTSD induced by fighting a war, the physical injuries that led to copious amounts of opiates, the emotional strain of his squad leader committing suicide, losing his best friend from overdosing on heroin, all combined with his drug addiction ultimately left Shawn losing all hope in life.

3.0

Locations: Looking for Rusty James

Aug 30, 2013

A personal meditation on Rumble Fish, the legendary film directed by Francis Ford Coppola in 1983; the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, where it was shot; and its impact on the life of several people from Chile, Argentina and Uruguay related to film industry.

No Image Available

0.0

Omnibus: François Truffaut

Dec 2, 1973

No overview available.