ACT OF DISHONOUR
Tue 3rd August | 6:30pm | Dendy Opera Quays
Dir: Nelofer Pazira, Canada, 2010, 95 min, English & Dari with English subtitles
Cast: Nelofer Pazira, Marina Golbahari
Tradition and modernity clash in this thought-provoking, stunningly photographed drama
Mena, a young bride-to-be, lives in a small, remote village in northern Afghanistan. Respecting the local customs, she rarely leaves the house and has little contact with her fiancé. The arrival of a Canadian film crew upsets the natural order as Mena befriends their Afghan-Canadian interpreter (actress & director Nelofer Pazira) and discovers a whole new world beyond her own.
A nuanced portrait of a culture steeped in conservative tradition, Act of Dishonour is a complex and moving tragedy of injustice. This beautiful film is also a testament to the spirit of a people who have survived decades of war.
“Shuns easy answers, challenging rigid moral paradigms and preconceptions on both sides of the cultural divide. ” – National Film Board
