RocKabul
When Beard met District Unknown back in 2009, Kabul’s fiercely conservative and traditional community frowned upon music. The young Afghan men in the band could barely find instruments, much less a rehearsal space. Practice sessions were interrupted by power cuts and exploding bombs. The musicians persevered, but as their notoriety grew, Qasem, Pedram, Qais, Lemar and Yousef had to choose whether to stay or go, knuckle under or keep rockin’.
Travis Beard went to Afghanistan as a volunteer teacher and journalist, where he organised activities like skateboarding, graffiti and the first alternative arts festival.
Also plays in this year’s Australian Documentary Foundation Competition
This film is nominated for the Documentary Australia Foundation Award for Australian Documentary:
