The Land of the Enlightened (2016)

A gang of Afghan kids from the Kuchi tribe dig out old Soviet mines and sell the explosives to children working in a lapis lazuli mine. When not dreaming of the time when American troops ... See full summary »

Director:

Pieter-Jan De Pue

Writers:

Pieter-Jan De Pue (script), David Dusa (script)

Stars:

Gholam Nasir, Khyrgyz Baj, Noor

2 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Gholam Nasir
Khyrgyz Baj
Noor
Zulfu
Koko Ewas
Koko Mullalih
Marina Golbahari
Sergei Kovinchenko	...	Self
Devin A. Cleeves	...	US Soldier
Sohrab Nazari	...	Narrator

Storyline

A gang of Afghan kids from the Kuchi tribe dig out old Soviet mines and sell the explosives to children working in a lapis lazuli mine. When not dreaming of the time when American troops finally withdraw from their land, another gang of children keeps tight control on the caravans smuggling the blue gemstones through the arid mountains of Pamir.

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Plot Keywords:

reenactment | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Drama | War

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Did You Know?

Soundtracks

Over the Mountains the Helicopters Circle
Performed by Yuri Kirsanov

User Reviews

In the Land of the Enlightened where truth is found via meta narratives

In the documentary In The Land of the Enlightened two worlds collide visually, technically and spiritually. This is a hybrid documentary, meaning some shots were staged while others focus on the environment of Afghanistan and its people through an observational style. The cast, if you may call it that, are all real people. Some of the action scenes are rehearsed and others are presented as they happen. The blur between fiction and non-fiction is intentional, as Belgium Director and Photographer Pieter-Jan De Pue takes on a non-traditional view of how to craft a true story, with imagines elements that respond to a lived experience of Afghanistan, rather than real-life depictions. Shot over seven years, the documentary focuses on the lives of a group of children who are also fighters. Their lives are all about survival and war in the mountains of Afghanistan. Read more here: https://indieethos.com/2016/09/02/in-the-land-of-the- enlightened/

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Belgium]

Country:

Belgium Ireland Netherlands Germany Afghanistan

Language:

Persian English

Release Date:

16 March 2016 (Belgium)

Also Known As:

Das Land der Erleuchteten

Box Office

Budget:

EUR1,220,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$609

Company Credits

Production Co:

Savage Film, Fastnet Films, Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Color:

Color (Super 16mm) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1