In the Rumbling Belly of Motherland

by Brishkay Ahmed
An exceptionally brave film that film provides an in-depth look into Zan TV, Kabul’s female-led news agency.
2021  ·  1h23m  ·  Afghanistan
About the Film

As the U.S. planned to withdraw troops from Afghanistan in September 2021, Canadian-Afghan filmmaker and journalist Brishkay Ahmed was filming IN THE RUMBLING BELLY OF MOTHERLAND. Revealing the ongoing dangers for women reporters, and the extraordinary risks they take, this brave film provides an in-depth look into Zan TV, Kabul’s female-led news agency. A professional journalist herself, Ahmed documents both the harrowing and inspiring work of young, female journalists over the course of the two-year lead up to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Following parallel news stories as they unfold – two sets of national elections as well as ongoing U.S.-Taliban peace talks – the film reveals the daily hurdles Afghan female reporters and media staff face, underscoring the existential current events that threaten both Zan TV as a media outlet and the livelihoods of the women at its heart. Ultimately, IN THE RUMBLING BELLY OF MOTHERLAND  serves as a prescient reminder that journalism matters and that we can never take women’s rights for granted.  

Upcoming Screenings

Stay tuned for upcoming screenings!

Festivals and Awards
2021
Regina International Film Festival & Awards (RIFFA), Best Canadian Documentary
2021
Toronto ReelWorld Film Festival, Outstanding Feature Film
2021
Toronto ReelWorld Film Festival, Standout Producer
Director and Producer
Brishkay Ahmed
Cinematography
Brishkay Ahmed, Fatima Tawakoli, Ali Hussein Husseini
Writer and Editor
Brishkay Ahmed
Production Coordinator
Sajad Saee
Composer
Chris Hind
Cast
Shogofa Sediqi, Najwa Alimi, Nazanin Bek Sadid, Fereshta Mahboby, Khalida Rasheed
Fixer
Shuja Mumozi, Fatimas Tawakoli
Researchers
Sofia Farahani, Atusa Farahani
Sound Design
Doug Paterson
Translations
Fazel Ahmed Afghan
About the Director

Brishkay Ahmed

Brishkay Ahmed studied film at New York University, then furthered her education through the Iranian Young Cinema Society. She is an Afghan-Canadian filmmaker committed to sharing women’s stories with global audiences. Brishkay is the writer and co-director of Afghanistan’s popular primetime drama series Between You and Me (Tolo TV, 2011/2013). Her 2012 documentary, Story of Burqa, was supported by Super Channel and the National Film Board of Canada and was featured on the World Policy Institute Blog. Her third documentary, Unveiled: The Kohistan Video Scandal was broadcast on Al Jazeera and is distributed by Java Films. Throughout her career, Brishkay’s projects have been supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, BC Film Commission, Bravo TV, CMF, CBC Radio, NFB, and BC Arts Council.

(Image courtesy of directors.ca.)

 

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