THE LAND OF THE ENLIGHTENED Trailer
Shot in stunning 16mm over the course of seven years in Afghanistan, The Land of the Enlightened is the first feature of Belgian documentary maker and photographer Pieter-Jan De Pue, which combines a cinema vérité portrait of a nation and its young people with the magic-reality of their dreams.
In the vast mountain region of the northern Wakhan Corridor (“The Roof of the World”), a gang of nomadic children raid caravans and trade scavenged Soviet land mines, raw lapis lazuli and black opium for food and fuel. Possessing a talent for improvisation and an inexhaustible eagerness to learn, they navigate a harsh reality as U.S. forces begin to pull out of the country, all the while dreaming of themselves as warriors and kings in a future Afghanistan.
The Land of the Enlightened brings us closer to the country we have heard so much about, but know so little of. It looks like this could be essential viewing with its utterly poignant subject – and it looks beautifully shot, too.
The Land of the Englightened gets its world premiere at Sundance 2016 and is schedule for release in the U.S. on February 24, 2016. For international release dates, check here.
Share your thoughts in the comments!
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.
