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Marzia, my friend

FIN 2015, 80, 55 (TV) min, Kirsi Mattila

Marzia dreams of peace and independence. But because she lives in Afghanistan, her dreams are revolutionary. Ultimately Marzia’s story becomes a symbol of the wider struggle of Afghan women: it is about the right to make decisions about your own life. The film follows Marzia’s life from spring 2011 to the end of 2014, when international troops were supposed to leave Afghanistan.

festivals

Galway Film Flead 2015, IRL | Montreal World FF 2015, CAN | Kasseler DOK Filmfestival 2015, DE | Afghan Documentary FF Stockholm 2015, SWE | Queens World FF 2016, USA | Millenium FF Brussels 2016, BEL |  European Film Festival Prague 2016, CZ  | Seattle Int. Film Festival 2016 | Auroville FF 2017, IN

awards

BEST HUMAN RIGHTS FEATURE IN ASSOCIATION WITH AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL at Galway Film Fleadh 2015, IRL | BEST DOCUMENTARY at Montreal World Film Festival 2015, USA | BEST AFGHAN DOCUMENTARY at Afghan Documentary FF Stocckholm 2015, SWE | BEST DOCUMENTARY at Queens World FF New York 2016, USA | YOUNG VISION AWARD at Millenium Int. Documentary FF Brussels 2016, BEL

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

I first met Marzia in spring 2011. She was young, talented and full of hope.

Marzia dreamed of freedom. She dreamed of being able to choose her lover; of being able to study and work; she dreamed of travelling to all the countries of the world. Ordinary dreams for any young person – but because she lived in Afghanistan, Marzia’s dreams were revolutionary.

At the time we met, I was in Kabul for the fourth time with a group of Finnish female journalists to train Afghan women journalists. I wanted to make a film about Afghan women’s courage and their struggle for women’s rights.

Afghanistan is a country at war, where people are constantly on edge, forever living in fear and uncertainty. In such a mental climate, new winds have a hard time blowing. Marzia’s dreams also ran into difficulties.

How much can we Westerners understand of the conflict between Marzia's dreams and reality? Directly, not very much. Our opportunities in life are so very different.

In four years, I learned to know Marzia well. We kept in close touch, we became friends. I learned about the crushing weight of ancient traditions, how the power to make decisions over a woman’s life resides with the family and society.

I want my documentary to build a bridge between the two worlds. I want to show what Marzia’s life is like, how it is permeated by tradition.

Ultimately Marzia’s story is a symbol of the wider struggle of Afghan women: it is about the right of women – of people – to decide for themselves about their lives, their freedom to choose their own path.

Kirsi Mattila

Director

 


pictures

DIRECT ORDER DVD 

WATCH ON VOD 

NEWS

DIE DOHNAL Frauenministerin / Feministin / Visionärin

Sonderveranstaltungen
mit Podiumsdiskussionen:

3.3., 19.30 Uhr, Admiral Kino, Wien
3.3., 20.30 Uhr, Votivkino, Wien
5.3., 18.00 Uhr, Programmkino Wels
5.3., 20.15 Uhr, Kino Freistadt

regulär in folgenden Kinos:

Filmcasino, Wien
Votivkino, Wien
Actors Studio, Wien
Village Wien Mitte
Cineplexx Donauplex, Wien
Urania Kino, Wien
Moviemento, Linz
KIZ Royalkino, Graz
Volkskino, Klagenfurt
Wulfenia Kino, Klagenfurt
Leokino, Innsbruck
Das Kino, Salzburg
Cinema Paradiso, St. Pölten
Cinema Paradiso, Baden
Programmkino Wels
City Kino, Steyr
Filmstudio Villach
Kino im Kesselhaus, Krems
Stadtkino Grein
Rio Kino, Feldkirch

ab 28.2. in folgenden Kinos:

Cineplexx Parndorf
Cineplexx Linz
Geidorf Kunstkino, Graz

einzelne Vorstellungen:

29.2.
Kunsthaus Nexus, Saalfelden
1.3.
Siegfried Freud Universität, Wien
ab 3.3.
Kino Kirchdorf
5.3.
Kino Freistadt
Dieselkino Bruck
Filmszene Ottensheim
6.3.
Kino Oberpullendorf
Das Zentrum, Radstadt
Star Movie, Regau
Kinotreff Leone, Bad Leonfelden (ab 6.3.)
FMZ Kino Imst (ab 6.3.)
7.3.
Bertholdsaal Weyer
Gaspoltshofen
8.3.
Kinoklub Miniplex, Mank
Stadtkino Center Laa
Lichtspiele Gföhl
Lichtspiele Lenzing
Kino Eibiswald
Kronen Kino, Mistelbach
Star Movie, Tulln
Diesel Kinos
Stadtkino Horn
Cine4You, Hartberg (ab 8.3.)
Kino Baden (ab 8.3.)
Kino Ebensee (ab 8.3.)
9.3.
Kino Gmünd
Lichtspiele Mittersill (ab 9.3.)
10.3.
Star Movie, Ried
11.3.
Diesel Kino, Oberwart
12.3.
Kino Lienz
Kino Zwettl

DAS FIEBER

ab 24. April 2020
in den österr. Kinos

KINDER UNTER DECK

in deutschen Kinos

in Anwesenheit der Filmemacherin
Bettina Henkel

cine-k, Oldenburg
11.3., 19.30 Uhr
KoKi Hannover
12.3., 19.30 Uhr
Gerhart Hauptmann Haus, Düsseldorf
14.3., 12.00 Uhr
Filmgalerie, Regensburg
21.4.
Universum Filmtheater, Braunschweig
27.4., 19.00 Uhr, ohne Regiegespräch
3.5., 11.15 Uhr, ohne Regiegespräch

NEW DVD SALES

seit kurzem erhältlich:

Eisenberger - Kunst muss schön sein, sagt der Frosch zur Fliege,
Fair Traders,
Die Einsiedler
und
Zerschlag mein Herz

NEW ON VOD

Walter Arlen's first century,
Children below deck

Available soon:

Eisenberger - Art must be beautiful, as the frog says to the fly
Fair Traders

Watch our films on VOD on various platforms!

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FESTIVALS

THE FEVER

will be screened at

Human Int. Documentary Film Festival, NO 2020
5.00 pm, 25th February
4.00 pm, 1st March

One World Film Festival, CZ 2020
8.30 pm, 10th March
5.30 pm, 11th March
10.00 pm, 14th March

NAMRUD (Troublemaker)

will be screened at

Ciné-Palestine Toulouse, FR 2020
8.30pm, 2nd March

DIE DOHNAL

will be screened at

Int. Frauenfilmfestival, Germany 2020
9.30 pm, 28th March

Bolzano Film Festival, Italy 2020
21st - 26th April

read more