In this moving short film, Elizabeth and Gulistan Mirzaei shine a light on life for refugees in modern-day Afghanistan through the story of a young man, Shaista. Newly married to Benazir and living in a camp for displaced persons in Kabul, he struggles to balance his dreams of being the first from his tribe to join the Afghan National Army with pressure from his father and brother to start a family. An ever-present surveillance balloon monitors the camp, a mundane yet menacing reminder of the restrictions its residents live under. Even as Shaista’s love for Benazir is palpable, the choices he must make to build a life with her have profound consequences. Filmed over the course of four years, the directors’ remarkable access sheds light on the experience of modern-day Afghans who live, love, and seek space for themselves amid constant instability.  TJS

Filmmaker Q&A available

This film is only available to viewers in the United States