The Forbidden Reel

MOVIES OFFER COUNTLESS EXAMPLES of people who risk their lives for their country, their family, or the love of their life. But what kind of person is willing to die for their love of film? Director Ariel Nasr’s documentary The Forbidden Reel answers that question.

Nasr, an Afghan-Canadian filmmaker, who has been working with the National Film Board on projects since 2008’s , delves into the remarkable history of Afghanistan’s national cinema, and how a few defiant cinephiles risked their lives to stop Taliban extremists from erasing that legacy. Most importantly, makes an unassailable case for why the country’s rich cinematic heritage must be preserved. Nasr profiles several decades of Afghanistan’s film history to challenge viewers’ preconceptions about the