BHUBANESWAR: A short film ‘The Dark Future’ whose screenplay and music have been done by Cuttack-based Mohammad Shakeel and Omprakash Mohanty respectively, is the official selection of 9th Ghan International Film Festival Australia.
Directed by Alibaba Frutan, the short film reflects the fears, resilience, and struggles of people caught in the Afghan conflict during the initial phase of the invasion by Taliban into Kabul city. It shows the plight of an athlete who loses her family members to the insurgency but she and her brother are rescued by the Australian government before she decides to end her life.
“The idea for the film was born as the Taliban made their way into Kabul. At that time, I was at home in Cuttack. I couldn’t shake the images of despair and uncertainty playing out there. I decided to reach out to my friend, Frutan Ali, who was in Afghanistan, to discuss the possibility of creating a short film based on real stories emerging from the crisis. The story struck a chord with both of us,” said Shakeel.
After being officially selected for screening at the Ghan International Film Festival in Australia, it is scheduled to be shown at Mercury Cinema in Adelaide.