PRESS CONFERENCE
ADDICTED IN AFGHANISTAN – UNMISTAKEN CHILD
A Press Conference was held on Friday, March 19, 2010, during the 12th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival - Images of the 21st Century by Sharon Ward, producer of the film Addicted in Afghanistan and Nati Baratz, director of Unmistaken Child.
The films take place in two much discussed areas of the planet – Iraq and Tibet. They touch on sensitive issues which affect every place and its people. Unmistaken Child tells the story of strange and charming search. Following the death of Lama Konchok, the greatest Tibetan Meditator of our time, the Dalai Lama unexpectedly charges 28 year old Tenzin Zopa to lead the search for the reincarnation of his late Master. The “Unmistaken Child” must be found within four years. The search transforms Tenzin into a spiritual leader who will once again become a servant once the child is found. “What happened with my film is that it was love at first sight. As soon as I heard of this story I said yes, this is my movie, Nati Baratz said. It took me 4.5 years to make the film and I had trouble getting permission from the Tibetans to work with them. In the end we became friends. Tenzin’s reaction to the film is typical. He told me that he didn’t have to see something to approve it. He saw the film last year at the Berlinale. What impressed me was that he wasn’t against publicity and fame, he thought it could be used for a good reason. This is also the example of the Dalai Lama”, the director said.
Sharon Ward came to Thessaloniki from Paris, where Addicted in Afghanistan won the Best European Documentary Award at the European Independent Film Festival. She said that roughly one million Afghanis are addicted to heroin, and what’s more disturbing is that 40% of these are women and children. The film looks at the shocking reality behind the headlines as it is lived by Jabar and Zahir, two fifteen year old junkies living in Kabul. Ms Ward admitted Afghanistan would be good for other film projects as well. “There are no effective detox programs, and what we’re trying to do is organize some kind of clinic that could offer help. They claim that they are not the only ones to blame for the situation, if there wasn’t such great demand for drugs from the west there wouldn’t be so much production. It’s a vicious cycle”.
