SYNOPSIS
Freshta and her family are Hazaras, a people from central Afghanistan that have suffered centuries of state persecution and genocide. Freshta¡¯s elder sister, Zahra, committed suicide a few weeks before her graduation from Kabul University, after her thesis research on the local plant ¡®Kamay¡¯ was rejected several times by her professor. Guided by the words and questions the grieving Freshta asks herself about her sister, we follow the family¡¯s struggle for justice.
REVIEW
The history of the Hazara people in Afghanistan is a testament to the persecution and sectarian violence endured by this minority group. In the 1990s, when the Taliban first came to power, the Hazara faced mass civilian massacres. The situation worsened in the 2010s as they became targets of ISIS terror attacks. Since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, the suffering of the Hazara people has only intensified. Kamay follows the harrowing journey of those most vulnerable within this brutal reality—the family of Zahra, a young Hazara woman studying veterinary medicine who died under mysterious circumstances. Her parents struggle to uncover the truth behind her supposed suicide while worrying about their other daughter, Freshta, who aspires to follow in her sister's footsteps and attend university in Kabul. The film captures the family's anger, grief, and fear, offering a vivid testimony to the suffering of the Hazara people. The stark contrast between the bleak landscape of Kabul, where Zahra met her tragic end, and the rugged mountainous region where the family lives, serves as a powerful visual metaphor. The harsh yet majestic mountains symbolize Freshta's strong will and the daunting, uncertain future that lies ahead of her. Although filmed before the Taliban's return to power, Kamay resonates urgently in the present moment, especially considering Afghanistan's tragic regression to being the only country in the world where women are denied secondary education.
DIRECTOR'S NOTE
As new Afghan filmmakers, we use cinema to reclaim our narrative and address stories long suppressed. For us, filmmaking is both a creative outlet and a historic duty. In a climate of fear, our films explore identity and relationships with our homeland and the world, aiming to make sense of our existence amid danger. Through this medium, we strive to amplify our voices and connect across borders.