Kabul in the summer of 1998: Zunaira is a young woman with a great hunger for life. But in the Taliban-controlled city, where cinemas and theaters have been closed, music is banned from public life and the university is in ruins, this hunger is very hard to satisfy. Therefore, she mostly stays at home, where she can be with her husband Mohsen. They are deeply in love with each other – until one fateful moment changes everything…
Haunting images, a moving story, relatable characters: ‘Les Hirondelles de Kaboul’ had the audience in raptures at its world premiere at the 2019 Cannes film festival. Director Zabou Breitman and illustrator Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec have turned Yasmina Khadra’s eponymous novel into a gripping animated film. Set in 1998, it addresses oppression, the struggle for a life in dignity and the strength of women, and it is as relevant today as it was back then. A powerful film, captivating and intense.