Docu-Drama Set in Afghanistan Finds Its Way to Chapel Hill

Delivered to a group of refugee girls preparing to re-enter Afghanistan, this line from Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf's "Kandahar" was prophetic in the movie's premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May of 2001. When the movie made its North American premiere Sept. 8 in Toronto, it was even more so.

Now, almost a year after Cannes, this line and this film will be making their way to Chapel Hill during the film's eight-month distribution period.

Distributed by New York City-based Avatar Films, the docu-drama "Kandahar" is a testament to the troubles of a country few gave any attention, much less aid, to before September of last year.

A long road precedes its playdate in Chapel Hill tomorrow at Chelsea Theater. Based on events beginning in 1989, the film's story is a collection of stories: its plot, the story of a woman; its images, the story of a troubled country; and its international success, the story of a world forever changed and intrigued with Afghanistan.

When earning an award at the Cannes Film Festival, "Kandahar" was still far from an international release. The subject matter was simply not of international interest. Weeks before Sept. 11, a journalist had asked Makhmalbaf why his film addressed "such an unimportant subject."

Avatar Films no longer has to convince the world of its importance. Since its U.S. premiere at the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas in New York on Dec 14, it has crept into theaters across the country.

When "Kandahar" took home an award at Cannes in May 2001, Avatar expressed interest in managing its distribution. "We were chasing it since Cannes, but we wanted to see it on the big screen," said Jason Leaf of Avatar Films. "We closed the deal in Toronto."

The deal was closed just days before Sept 11. Once a distribution company closes a deal, its responsibilities include reproducing reels, setting playdates with theaters and helping with promotion.

Avatar, being a smaller distribution company, must be especially conscious of its resources. "We don't want to reproduce too many reels at $1,400 a piece and have them go unused," Leaf said. "On the other hand, you don't want to spread the film reels too thin."

Starting in larger cities like New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles can give distribution companies a better sense of the response they might get nationwide.

Setting playdates with theaters requires proof that the film is worthy of being shown. "There's certainly a lot of strategy involved," Leaf said. "With 'Kandahar,' it's sometimes a difficult negotiation -- it's not in the English language, and there are no international stars. But the film and its subject matter are ... it's hot right now."

Trying to bring "Kandahar" to Chapel Hill, Avatar Films contacted booking agent George Mansour, who handles booking theaters like the Varsity, Chelsea and Carolina theaters.

He thought booking "Kandahar" wasn't a tough call. "I knew of the director's work and thought it was visually beautiful," he said. "I also had the advantage of hindsight, the film had already gotten good reviews and good box office numbers. A lot of the guesswork had been taken out."

Mansour also booked the film based on a relationship with Avatar and similar companies. "As a small, independent theater group, it's incumbent upon us to support the small, independent distributors as well," he said.

Struggle brought "Kandahar" to the silver screen, and tragedy brought the film to the U.S. and, eventually, Chapel Hill. "Kandahar" will begin playing at the Chelsea Theater tomorrow.

The Arts & Entertainment Editor can be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.