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
AFGHAN MUSCLES
SCREENING SCHEDULE
Tuesday, November 6th 7:00pm
ArcLight Theatre 12
$11.00

Thursday, November 8th 4:00pm
ArcLight Theatre 11
$7.00


If this film sounds good, try these:

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DOWNHILL SKIING IN SUMMER  DOWNHILL SKIING IN SUMMER
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JELLYFISH  JELLYFISH
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OPERATION FILMMAKER  OPERATION FILMMAKER
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