Synopsis:

Amidst the wreckage beneath the ruined statue of the Buddha, thousands of families struggle to survive. Baktay, a six-year-old Afghan girl is challenged to go to school by her neighbour's son who reads in front of their cave. Having found the money to buy a precious notebook, and taking her mother's lipstick for a pencil, Baktay sets out. On her way, she is harassed by boys playing games that mimic the terrible violence they have witnessed, that has always surrounded them. The boys want to stone the little girl, to blow her up as the Taliban blew up the Buddha, to shoot her like Americans. Will Baktay be able to escape these violent war games and reach the school?

Titles:

Film:Buddha collapsed out of shame

Director:Hana Makhmalbaf
Cast:
Bakhtay: Nikbakht Noruz
Talib boy: Abdolali Hoseinali
Abbas: Abbas Alijome

Script writter: Marziyeh Meshkini
Cinematographor: Ostad Ali
Sound: Farid Pirayesh

Set designer: Akbar Meshkini
Executive manager: Fakhrodin Ayam
Still photographor: Mehrdad Zonnour
Editor: Mastaneh Mohajer

Sound designer & Mix: Hossein Mahdavi
Music: Tolib Shakhidi
Lab: Arri Film, Germany
Production: Wild Bunch
Makhmalbaf Film House

Production Date: 2007, Afghanistan
Running time: 84 minutes
Colour, 35 mm

International Sales: Wild Bunch (France)

Festivals:

1-Toronto International Film Festival, Canada 2007
2- San Sebastian International Film Festival, Spain 2007
3- Euroasia International Film Festival, Kazakhstan 2007
4- Ghent International Film festival, Belgium 2007
5- Rome International Film Festival, Italy 2007

6- Festival du nouveau cinéma in Montreal, Canada 2007
7- Tokyo Filmex International Film Festival, Japan 2007
8- Thessaloniki International Film Festival, Greece 2007
9- Paris Rencontres International Film Festival, France 2007
10- Kerala International Film Festival, India 2007

11- Sarlat International Film Festival, France, 2007
12- Gala Film Festival, Lithuania, 2007
13- Hong Kong International Film Festival, Hong Kong, 2008
14- Berlin International Film Festival, Germany, 2008
15-Human Rights Watch International Film Festival, England, 2008

16- African Asian and Latin American Film Festival of Milan, Italy, 2008
17- Flying Broom International Women's Film Festival Ankara, Turkey, 2008
18- International Film Festival of Cinema Author, Morocco , 2008
19- The South International Film Festival, Norway , 2008
20- Molodist International Film Festival, Ukraine, 2008

International Awards:

1- The Special Jury Prize From the 55th San Sebastian International Film Festival, Spain, 2007

2- The TVE Award “La Otra Mirada” by Spanish TV, San Sebastian International Film Festival 2007

3- Unicef "Paolo Ungari" special award, Rome International Film Festival 2007

4- "Daniel Langlois Innovation Prize", Festival du nouveau cinéma in Montreal 2007

5- "Woman & Equality Award", Thessaloniki Film Festival, Greece, 2007

6- "Discovery Prize", Sarlat Film Festival, France, 2007

7- "Crystal Bear", Berlin Film Festival, Germany, 2008

8- " Special Peace Award", Berlin Film Festival, Germany, 2008

9- " Special Award", Association Club de las 25, Spain, 2008

10- "ENI Windows on the World Prize" for the Best Feature Film, African Asian and Latin American Film Festival of Milan, Italy, 2008.

11- "Best Film FIPRESCI Award", 11th Flying Broom International Women's Film Festival Ankara, Turkey, 2008.

12- "Special Jury Prize", 14th International Film Festival of Cinema Author, Morocco , 2008.

13- "Founders Prize", the 4th Traverse City Film Festival, USA, 2008.

14- "Silver Mirror" The South Film Festival, Norway, 2008.

15- "Golden Deer" the 38th Molodist Film Festival, Ukraine, 2008.

16- "Cine-club" (FICC jury) the 38th Molodist Film Festival, Ukraine, 2008.

17- "Ecumenical jury" the 38th Molodist Film Festival, Ukraine, 2008.

Director’s note:

Afghanistan is a strange country. In a period of 25 years it has experienced many rulers; the communist Russians, Al-Qaeda and the Islamic extremists Taliban and western or laic Christians. Each of these rulers in order to save Afghanistan from the hegemony of the other have initially attacked and destroyed this country. The present day destructions in Afghanistan are not limited to cities and homes.
Now the children of this land in their games fire at each other with wooden arms and play the stoning game with little girls and place mines under each other’s feet in humor.
How will these children who mock the game of war in childhood like adults play with each other and the future of humanity?