An Interview with Afghan Director Elham Ehsas - Oscar-Qualified Short Film YELLOW

With us today is Afghan writer/director Elham Essas. After hearing the sad news that the Taliban were forcing women in Afghanistan to wear the Chadari (the blue full body veil), he wrote and created the short film, YELLOW.

Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, Actor, Writer and Director, Elham Essas fled the Taliban and came to the UK when he was a young boy. He likes to make films inspired by stories from his home country, Afghanistan.

His debut short film, OUR KIND OF LOVE, was BAFTA long-listed in 2019. His short film YOUR HAND FOUND MINE, which he made in collaboration with the BFI and BAFTA, premiered at the House of Lords and won Best Drama at Berlin Flash Festival.

His newest short film, YELLOW

Through his film YELLOW, he hopes to raise awareness and inspire change, bringing the struggles and experiences of Afghan women to the forefront of the global conversation and I truly believe he has done just that.

The film is a call to action, a plea for the world not to forget about Afghanistan and the women who live there.

On August 15th, 2021, Afghanistan fell to the Taliban. By December 2022, girls were forbidden from going to school and women have been banned going to university. The Taliban also decreed all women must wear the mandated Hijab or Chadari in public and be accompanied by a make guardian when going outside.

Once again, Afghan women and girls face an uncertain future.

In Taliban controlled Afghanistan, Laili walks into a Chadari store in Kabul to buy her first full body veil from a Talib shopkeeper, and face a new future.

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