True Warriors

"A powerful, intense, and extremely important film" (NDR)

Kabul, December 11, 2014: At the premiere of a play by the AZDAR theater group, which deals with suicide bombings, a 17-year-old blows himself up. Some audience members initially clap, thinking the explosion is part of the performance—until panic breaks out.

The documentary TRUE WARRIORS tells the story of the people who were on stage that day. With their play, they wanted to take a stand against the terror that is eating away at their society—now they themselves are paralyzed by fear. Put on a play? Unthinkable. Become famous as musicians? Too dangerous. It is only when violence strikes them a second time that the artists confront their powerlessness with all their might, radicalize themselves artistically, and begin to overcome their trauma. TRUE WARRIORS shows us that we must counter terror with more than just hatred and fear.

Niklas and Ronja von Wurmb-Seibel were living in Kabul in 2014 and met director Nasir Formuli shortly before moving to Germany. He invited them to the premiere, but their flight could not be rescheduled. After the attack, they decided to document that day and the artists’ reactions in a documentary film.

Following the screening, there will be a discussion with Niklas von Wurmb-Seibel, Faieqa Sultani (protagonist), and Alireza Haidary (her husband, filmmaker/cinematographer).

Free admission; donations are welcome. Proceeds will benefit the Kabul Air Bridge.