AFGHAN MUSCLES
Intl Documentary Competition
Denmark, 2007, 58 min, VIDEO
In English / Farsi with English subtitles
North American Premiere
DIR: Andreas Mol Dalsgaard
SCR: Andreas Mol Dalsgaard,
Oliver Winding
PROD: Jesper Morthorst, Michael Haslund-Christensen
DP: Frederik Jacobi, Andreas Møl Dalsgaard
ED: My Thordal
MUS: Fridolin Tai Nordsø Schjoldan
In attendance: Andreas Mol Dalsgaard
Danish director Andreas Mol Dalsgaard's relentlessly entertaining documentary follows the most popular sport in Afghanistan: male bodybuilding. And this is not the Afghanistan of your nightly news.
Just check out the hilarious scene at a qualifier for the men's national team: competitors strut their stuff in spray-on tans and Speedos while robed, bearded men squeal like teens stricken with Beatlemania. Dalsgaard tracks the athletes as they train for the Mr. Asia championships, capturing a multitude of surreal moments. A sponsorship takes the form of a dozen eggs a day, protein powder is smuggled like drugs and "Arnold" is referred to often, on an exclusively first-name basis. Beyond its incredibly appealing characters and thrilling plot, this film offers something we don’t often see: the Afghan perspective.
While America remains largely ignorant of the people who live in the countries we are "fighting for," Dalsgaard offers us an invaluable reminder that such a place actually exists.
-
Jon Korn
SCREENING SCHEDULE
Tuesday, November 6th 7:00pm
ArcLight Theatre 12
$11.00
Thursday, November 8th 4:00pm
ArcLight Theatre 11
$7.00
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