Girls on the Air
Valetina Monti | 2009 | Italy | 62min
Afghanistan radio has traditionally been the voice of authority – there is no tradition of radio as a democratic, participatory medium that can be used to satisfy the needs of local communities – until today.
23 year old Afghan journalist Humaira Habib is founder and editor-in-chief of Radio Sahar, the first independent community radio station born after the fall of the Taliban regime and entirely run by women. In a unique example of a new democracy building process in Afghanistan, Humaira and the girls of the radio fight every day for the rights of Afghan women.
Focusing on the young Afghani idealists who are trying to make a difference in a country where the very basic principles of democracy were completely destroyed, award-winning filmmaker Valentina Monti explores the value of freedom of expression and information and reveals that Afghanistan is a very different country from the stereotype created in the Western media.
+ Q&A with director Valentina Monti and Patrick Hazard, Director LIDF
Barbican, Cinema 1, 18:30
9 February 2011
Tickets: Standard – £8.50 online (£10.50 full price) / Barbican Members – £6.50 online (£8.50 full price) / Concessions £7.50 (subject to availability)
