The Land of the Enlightened (2016)

How children master their lives in war-torn Afghanistan by engaging in ingenious commerce.

A group of Kuchi children are living in a minefield around Bagram airfield, Afghanistan. They dig out anti-personal mines in order to sell the explosives to child workers mining in a Lappis Lazulli mine. The trajectory of the blue precious stones goes towards Tajikistan and China, through an area controlled by child soldiers. When they are not waging their own mini-wars in the daily madness of life in Afghanistan, the children are fleeing away in their personal fantasies and dreams, while the American soldiers are planning their retreat...

Production

ZDF/Arte · Fastnet Films · Eyeworks · Submarine · Savage Film · Beetz Brothers Film Production · Sciapode · Canvas · Interkerkelijke Omroep Nederland (IKON) · Prime