I came to this movie thinking it would be a documentary--and it is, in a way: it was filmed in what appears to be war-torn Afghanistan, and it includes some genuine news footage. At first, I was confused because "reality" soon gives way to scenes and behavior that could only be called, at best, surreal; at worst, bizarre. The main character, who is also the voice-over narrator, is played by an Afghanistan-born Canadian actress impersonating herself. The rest of the cast, with three exceptions, seem to be Afghanis speaking their native dialects. However, through their gestures, speech rhythms, and of course the subtitles, I would guess they are recently recruited actors. To me, it feels more like classical Greek drama than realism. But that's okay with me: fiction can be truer than fact, to reverse the old cliché. Though flawed, the film is powerful at the emotional level. The cinematography is spectacular. I came out feeling I had a deeper understanding of the tragic history of Afghanistan
Review of Kandahar
