The Boy who Plays on the Buddhas of Bamiyan

The Boy Who Plays on the Buddhas of Bamiyan is a 2004 documentary film, directed by British film maker Phil Grabsky and released on 6 March 2004 in USA.

The Boy Who Plays on the Buddhas of Bamiyan
Directed by	Phil Grabsky
Produced by	Amanda Wilkie
Cinematography	Phil Grabsky
Edited by	Phil Reynolds
Music by	Dimitri Tchamouroff
Distributed by	NHK (Japan)
Release date	6 March 2004 (2004-03-06) (San Jose Cinequest Film Festival) United States
Running time	96 minutes
Countries	United Kingdom Afghanistan
Languages	Dari English

Plot summary

This film takes place over four seasons and follows Hazara refugees living in squalor. The refugees, including an eight-year-old boy, are living with the legacy of the Taliban and military interventions.

For over 25 years, Afghanistan has been at war. Over two million civilians have been killed. In March 2001, the ruling Taliban destroyed the tallest stone statues in the world, the ‘Buddhas of Bamiyan’.

Over the course of a year, this film follows the story of one of the refugees who now lives in a cave among the ruins…an 8-year-old boy called Mir.

British film-maker Phil Grabsky travelled alone to central Afghanistan a few months after the fall of the Taliban.

External links

• The Boy who Plays on the Buddhas of Bamiyan at IMDb
• The Boy Who Plays on the Buddhas of Bamiyan at Rotten Tomatoes