Afghanistan 1979: The War That Changed the World
New: Films from the Middle East & North Africa • 57m
Directed by Gulya Mirzoeva • Documentary • 2014 • 52 minutes
The Soviet troops' intervention in Afghanistan was a pivotal event in the history of the 20th century. It launched Bin Laden and Al Qaeda.
Soviet troops entered Afghanistan in 1979. This was the war that changed the world. Western countries refer to it as 'The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan'. For the Russians it was an operation with a 'limited contingent' of armed forces. Despite its 'limits', the war lasted ten years and played a key role in the collapse of the Soviet Union. It would be the final conflict of the Cold War, and the first in a long war that is far from over.
Reflecting on this particular chapter in contemporary history, we deliberately focus on events from the side of the 'invading' Soviets. Thanks to the release of hitherto secret archives that are tallied with testimonies of protagonists from all sides (Mikhail Gorbachev speaks for the first time on the Afghanistan invasion for example), the film offers an unprecedented reading of history and an understanding of how we have come to such a confrontational standoff between the Muslim and the Western worlds.
"Captivating; documents a conflict that resonates in all of today's hot wars." —Telerama
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