Bread & Roses

When the Taliban resumed control of Afghanistan with its takeover of Kabul in August 2021, virtually all of the progress that had been made in bringing democracy and a more open-minded outlook to the nation was wiped out in a heartbeat. That’s particularly true when it came to the regime’s treatment of women. Despite representing half of the country’s population, women and girls were systematically subjugated to the autocratic rule of the Taliban’s brutal misogynist warlords. Women were forbidden from working, forced to stay at home, and girls’ schools were summarily closed, their hopes of better lives dashed. And those who refused to comply with these dictates were routinely beaten, imprisoned or killed for their actions. This was especially true among the rising tide of activists who fought against these measures. The unbridled tyranny unleashed against these intrepid advocates provides the focus of this insightful and chilling new documentary from director Sahra Mani, providing a personal perspective on what these fiercely determined mavericks have been up against. Their unwillingness to back down, even in the face of severe consequences, is indeed inspiring as they struggle to survive and refuse to go back to the way things once were. It’s an important story that needs to be told, and, from an anecdotal standpoint, the filmmaker does a superb job in depicting the ordeals these women have had to endure. Despite this strength, however, this production could have benefitted from the inclusion of some much-needed background, placing the stories of these heroes in a more relatable, understandable context. That’s especially true given that the personal material – as well presented as it is – tends to become somewhat repetitive as the picture plays out. I fully appreciate the hardships involved in filming a project like this, and the director and crew are to be commended for their daring efforts. However, the overall approach used here comes up a little short in making the impact that it could have made if it had been augmented with content that shines a spotlight on the breadth of the issues at play in this story. The women deserve that. Afghanistan deserves that. And the world needs to know the full extent of what’s going on here if change is ever to come.