Shot the Voice of Freedom

Since the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban have imposed a reign of terror that is particularly brutal towards women. Risking their own lives and those of their loved ones, groups of women are protesting against the regime, and standing up for the right to freedom, education and security. The filmmaker follows and interviews two of these women, Reshmin and her sister.

Indoors, we see them conferring, preparing for action, and debating with family members who are afraid. Outdoors, filmed in secret, they chant slogans, often surrounded by armed Taliban soldiers. Not infrequently, the demonstrations end in bloody violence.

The film shows how hard it is to resist the oppression, and the bravery that is called for. Reshmin is fighting not only the Taliban, but also her own fears and those of the women around her. There are arrests, intimidation and forced confessions on television. The demonstrations are in part directed at the international community, in the hope of eliciting a political response, but this community remains alarmingly silent.