Filmscreening
Laughing in Afghanistan

by Anneta Papathanassiou

Thu, 02.11.2023
7:00 PM - 20:30 ACUDkino

Directed by Anneta Papathanassiou, Production: Photini Economopoulo, 2023, Afghanistan, 90 min

A young Afghan actor, Karim Asir, in the midst of bombs and disasters, decides to become the Afghan Charlie Chaplin. He wants to change the world using pantomime and humor. Amidst bombs and destruction, he gives performances with laughter his only weapon. After the Taliban takeover Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, Karim receives death threats and fears for his life. A difficult decision seems unavoidable. Can laughter change the world?

© Achileas Charitos

Anneta Papathanassiou is a film director and actress who graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the Law School of the University of Athens. She is also a graduate of the E. Hatzikou School of Acting and Film and studied theater studies at New York University and HB Studio in New York. She has been moving on stage and television for over 30 years. She teaches Improvisation for Theatre and Theatre Games at DEREE - the American College of Greece. She has published two books on theater, Lights Please and Theater Games. In 2011 she founded ELIART, an independent theater in the heart of Athens. Since 2000 she has directed and produced documentaries, mostly on human rights issues, and received numerous international awards.

© Zahir Sangar

Mohammad Karim Asir (born in 1994) is an actor and puppeteer from Afghanistan. Most people know him as the Afghan Charlie Chaplin. Asir graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Theatre and has a Master's degree in Performance Arts from Kabul University. He wanted to use his theatre training to address social problems in Afghanistan. So he began a career as a Charlie Chaplin impersonator in public and private venues, including the streets of Kabul, public parks, private parties, charity events and at an orphanage. When he received a threatening letter from the Taliban about his activities in July 2021, and after the Taliban took power in August 2021, he fled to Germany and now lives in Bochum.

The film will be followed by a discussion with Anneta Papathanassiou (director), Photini Economopoulo (production) and Karim Asir (protagonist).