Ghosts of Afghanistan

by Julian Sher
  • 2021 Graeme Smith
  • 2021 Graeme Smith
  • 2021 Graeme Smith
  • 2021 GALA FILM
  • 2021 GALA FILM
  • 2021 Graeme Smith
  • 2021 Graeme Smith

    Synopsis

    Just before the Taliban sweep back to power and the United States withdraw in defeat, former Globe and Mail war correspondent Graeme Smith returns to Afghanistan. In the timely TVO Original documentary GHOSTS OF AFGHANISTAN, Smith offers a first-hand account of NATO’s failed attempt to bring democracy and women’s rights and freedoms to the country. He reveals the true face of the "forever war" taking an unflinching look at what went wrong in the world’s deadliest conflict that ended in chaos and tragedy. 
    For Canada, it was the biggest deployment since World War II and one of its bloodiest — 158 soldiers dead and at least 2000 injured. For Afghanistan, 20 years of war, hundreds of thousands of lives lost, billions of dollars wasted in corruption, all sorts of abuses... 
    As Afghans share their hopes and fears, Smith sees the deep divisions in the country that hint an explanation for the Taliban’s return to power. In his quest to hear all sides of the conflict, he travels deep inside Taliban territory to catch a glimpse of their growing control over the country and speaks to top Taliban leaders confident of victory at the failed peace talks in Doha. 
    The Afghan inferno grows more dangerous each day.  The documentary GHOSTS OF AFGHANISTAN helps us understand how it all went so wrong. (GALAFILM)

    Festivals

    2021
    UNAFF 2021 in Palo Alto, California

    Cast and Crew

    Director

    Julian Sher

    Producer

    Arnie Gelbart, Christian Beetz

    Screenplay

    Julian Sher, Graeme Smith, Natalie Dubois

    Editor

    Susan Shanks, Oliver Szyza

    DoP

    Igbal Sapand