Focus on Afghanistan: CoR Short Films

Mainstream media coverage of the war in Afghanistan has overlooked much of the positive, grassroots efforts for a more peaceful society, focusing instead on politicians vying for the next inch of political advantage. At the same time, NATO forces' misguided approaches to gaining control in the country have also gone under-reported. The three short films below highlight a couple positive developments in the war-torn nation, and shed light on one highly ineffectual practice being carried out by the coalition forces.

Picture Afghanistan: Teaching Photojournalism in a War-torn Country

Photojournalists from around the world have been sent to Afghanistan to capture the human toll of the war there. However, we rarely see the work of Afghan photographers who can bring a local perspective to what is happening in their country. That is why the 3rd Eye Photojournalism Center trains young Afghanis to work with cameras, set up websites, and critically evaluate media depictions of their communities. As program graduate Zekria Gulistani says, “Most of the photographers who come to Afghanistan are only coming to go to provinces where there is always fighting.” Pointing to a picture of a young boy building a structure out of stone bricks, Gulistani continues, “Even if the there is fighting, we have people who are already interested in starting their new lives in Afghanistan. So we need photographers who show the lives of the people.” This short film takes a look at those rarely seen pictures, and it profiles the young people who will shape the future of photojournalism in Afghanistan.