Professors of cinema at Kabul University, Samiullah Nabipour and Sayed Zubair Hashimi, will present a selection of films from Afghanistan, including short films made by the students of Kabul University’s Cinema Studies and Siddiq Barmak’s The Stranger from 1987 to provide some context into the history of Afghan short films and their ability to depict Afghan social norms and culture.

Samiullah Nabipour is a prominent figure in the fields of culture and art in Afghanistan, known for his work as a university professor, researcher, and activist. He has been a professor at Kabul University for fourteen years and served as the head of the cinema department for six years and the faculty of art for two years. Nabipour has authored two treatises and six research articles on Afghan cinema. As one of the founders of the Cinema Department at Kabul University, Nabipour has played a vital role in the education and training of young filmmakers and producers in short film production in Afghanistan. The department is the only academic institution in the country dedicated to film education. Additionally, Nabipour founded the Kabul Student Film Festival, the first of its kind in Afghanistan, and served as its president for three terms. Nabipour has been honored for his work in the field of art and cinema, receiving recognition from President Ashraf Ghani on two occasions. He has also served as a judge at several international film festivals held in Afghanistan and has been a member of notable institutions, including the Scientific Council of Kabul University, the High Council of Arts of Afghanistan, the Union of Cinematographers of Afghanistan, and the Board of Directors.

Sayed Zubair Hashimi has nine years of teaching experience in the Cinema Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Kabul University and was a member of the Scientific Council of the Faculty of Arts at Kabul University for four years. The Department of Cinema is the only academic institution in Afghanistan that trains young people in the field of filmmaking. During the nine years of teaching, he had an advisor role with cinema students as a mentor in screenplays and short films that included students’ guild projects. The films produced under Hashimi’s supervision reflect social issues. Also, he wrote a treatise that compared the films of two decades of Afghanistan Cinema and wrote three scientific articles about Afghan cinema, which were published in the scientific journal of Kabul University. Hashimi was a member of the three-member group of writers in two seasons of the series 24 episodes (the third line), which was broadcast on Tolo TV and was warmly received by the viewers. He was also a member of the three-member group of radio drama writers (Friendship Farm) produced by Roya Film for immigrants and internally displaced people. This drama was written in 44 episodes and broadcast through local radio. Hashimi founded the nonprofit organization Peshraw Cultural and Educational Organization, and through it, he voluntarily carried out cultural and educational activities for teenagers and street children.

Co-sponsored with The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute