Personal Motivation for Filming in Afghanistan

The filmmaker felt a deep personal drive to document the unfolding situation in Afghanistan immediately after the Taliban regained control, fueled by a background of growing up in the Middle East and a career immersed in journalism. He faced skepticism from friends and family who questioned his decision, but he sensed a pressing need to bear witness to the fear and struggles of the Afghan people witnessing the chaos first-hand. The emotional impact of harrowing images depicting desperate Afghans clinging to evacuation planes compelled him to convey the reality of those left behind. His goal was to illustrate that the Taliban's return was not a benign 'Taliban 2.0,' a term popularized by some media outlets, but rather a return to a regime that posed significant threats to the Afghan populace and women in particular.