Sarbaz Film Festival kicks off in Kabul for first time

Amin Alemi
Press TV,Kabul

The Afghan Film Directorate has launched the first Sarbaz Film Festival in Kabul to help the country’s cinema industry improve and support the Afghan troops. The event has been organized in collaboration with Afghanistan’s military, private sector and the Kabul municipality.

Tired of war, these military forces have found an opportunity now to be happy and this is because they have attended this film festival held in recognition of the sacrifices of the Afghan troops in protecting the nation.

Top military officials, film makers and organizers of the festival call it a different attempt to improve the morale of Afghan armed forces in the battlefields across the country.

Over 50 films have been submitted to the three-day event. However, cinema enthusiasts and Afghan film makers urge the Afghan government to help Afghan film makers establish a closer relationship with their counterparts abroad. This comes as officials say they have done their best to improve Afghanistan’s cinema industry mainly over the last two decades.

The launch of the 6th Herat Women’s International Film Festival and Lajward National Film Festival in Kabul last year and the conclusion of some contracts with Iranian, Indian and Russian filmmakers are considered as some of the achievements of Afghanistan’s cinema industry.

Many here also believe that holding the festival helps Afghans have a deeper understanding of sacrifices made by their own sons and daughters to defend their country and its national sovereignty.