Last night at the Coca-Cola Open Air Cinema, Sarajevo audiences had the opportunity to watch the film NO GOOD MEN. The screening was attended by actor and co-writer Anwar Hashimi, who also took part in today’s “Grand Coffee with…” discussion at Festival Square
Hashimi expressed his deep gratitude and joy regarding the film’s reception in Sarajevo, particularly the fact that 3,000 people attended the screening. He compared the experience to the feeling he had at the Berlinale, where the film had its world premiere.
The film is set during the evacuation of Afghans from Kabul following the city’s fall to the Taliban, capturing the final days of freedom.
“When I shared my autobiographical story about growing up and living in Afghanistan with director Shahrbanoo, she said she wanted to turn it into a film. Initially, it was supposed to be a five-part film series, but we ended up making three. Before that, I worked as a journalist, which is actually how the two of us met since we worked at the same TV station. So, before these films, I didn’t have any acting experience.”
Given their backgrounds prior to entering the film industry, the movie is dedicated to seven journalists who were attacked in Kabul. Interestingly, director Sadat herself plays the character Nara in the film, which was not her original plan.
“It wasn’t her initial choice, but the actress who was supposed to play the role left the project. After that, Shahrbanoo wasn’t satisfied with the new casting choices, so one day she decided to step in front of the camera herself. It was truly unexpected and exciting. Similarly, she couldn’t find the right actor for my role, so she came up to me one day and said that I was the only one who could play it.”
Hashimi also shared a glimpse into his difficult childhood, which served as the primary inspiration for their second collaborative film, The Orphanage (2019).
“When I was a child, after my father passed away, I lived on the streets. Later, the police took me to an orphanage. I didn’t start school until I was ten years old. Everything about that period is documented in my personal diary, which is 800 pages long, and I plan to publish it in the future.”
In addition to his plans for an autobiography, Anwar Hashimi revealed to the audience that he recently received an offer for a new film project, which he will begin working on as soon as he returns from Sarajevo.
