71st edition. From 23 to 31 October 2026.
71st edition.
23/31 Oct. 2026
23/31 Oct. 2026
Documentary about one cheeky lad growing up across 20 years in one of the most dangerous countries in the world. When we first meet Mir he is a mischievous boy of seven living in a cave alongside the recently destroyed Buddhas of Bamiyan in central Afghanistan. For two decades, through all sorts of adventures and misadventures, the film follows his life until, as an adult with a family of his own, he decides to pursue his own career as a news cameraman in Kabul.
Phil Grabsky is a writer, producer and director. He and his company Seventh Art Productions are behind cinema films such as ‘In Search of Beethoven’ (2009), ‘Escape from Luanda’ (2007), ‘The Boy who Plays on the Buddhas of Bamiyan’ (2007,which won the Time of History section’s first prize) and ‘The Boy Mir’ (2011). He has written four history books, as well as numerous newspaper articles and appears regularly on the radio. Shoaib Sharafi is an award-winning Afghan filmmaker and journalist who worked closely with Phil Grabsky on ‘The Boy Mir’. An award-winning journalist with extensive experience, he has made documentaries for the BBC, Channel 4, ABC America and AMC Australia. He was recently made Head of Station in Kabul by the BBC.
