Jung (War) in the Land of the Mujaheddin (2001)

Synopsis: This intensely upsetting documentary, which takes place in 1999 and 2000 in war-torn Afghanistan, follows Italian journalist Ettore Mo, Italian surgeon Gino Strada, and British nurse Kate Rowlands... This intensely upsetting documentary, which takes place in 1999 and 2000 in war-torn Afghanistan, follows Italian journalist Ettore Mo, Italian surgeon Gino Strada, and British nurse Kate Rowlands as they go through the process of building a humanitarian aid hospital that specializes in victims of land mines. Strada and Rowlands negotiate locations for the hospital, visiting various regions in the north of the country, where Mujaheddin freedom fighters attempt to maintain distance from the oppressive forces of the Taliban in the south. Mo, who worked as a reporter covering Afghanistan for 20 years, calls Afghanistan's situation "a forgotten war," and adds historical and statistical notes: the war has produced a million and a half Afghan deaths, one million mutilated Afghans who are still living, and four million Afghan refugees. With shocking footage of soldiers using machine guns, tanks, and shoulder-mount missile launchers against each other in what appears to be chaotic, round-the-clock combat, JUNG paints a desperate portrait of Afghanistan. Women, clad in head-to-toe chadors (burkas) that are required dress under the rule of the Taliban, beg for food to feed their own children and those orphaned by war. They are all starving. Small children work as blacksmiths for food. Back at the hospital, children arrive by the dozens missing limbs, and men die of horrific flesh-eating diseases. All of this nightmarish activity stands in stark contrast to the beauty of the people, the brilliant colors of their clothes, and the mysteriously rugged landscapes depicted in the film. However, JUNG never ceases in its portrayal of a people that need help, now, and the hopeless reality that that help may be a long time coming. [More]

Starring: Ettore Mo, Gino Strada, Kate Rowlands

Starring: Ettore Mo, Gino Strada, Kate Rowlands

Director: Fabrizio Lazzaretti, Alberto Vendemmiati

Director: Fabrizio Lazzaretti, Alberto Vendemmiati
Studio: Karousel Films

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