A Dream for Kabul

A Dream for Kabul is being shown at the international documentary film festival in Vancouver on Saturday May 23 | 12:00 PM | Pacific Cinémathèque

In
September 2001, Haruhiro Shiratori lost his son, Atsushi, in the New
York City World Trade Center attacks. In the wake of this tragedy, many
withdrew into their grief or talked of revenge. But Shiratori wanted to
give meaning to his son’s death, so he decided to travel from Japan to
Afghanistan to connect with ordinary people in an attempt to end the
cycle of violence. This idealistic quest, one destined to encounter any
number of obstacles, begins with an unusual step: Shiratori decides to
learn magic tricks.

With a flourish of the hand,
he makes scarves disappear before the amazed eyes of onlookers, whether
young or old, Afghan, Japanese, or American. Magic becomes a secret
weapon, as Shiratori negotiates his way around the language barrier.
Even the saddest child in an Afghanistan hospital bed cracks a smile
when he performs his tricks.

Over four years and
across three continents, filmmaker Philippe Baylaucq accompanies
Shiratori, documenting his quest to build a cultural centre for the
children of Kabul.

Everywhere he goes, he
preaches, persuades, and relentlessly fundraises. Shiratori speaks
about the suffering of Afghan children. He remembers his own war-torn
childhood in Japan and looking at the children of Kabul, he sees
himself, a child in a bombed-out city. The memory still haunts him.

His
idea is to build a park, in commemoration of his son, on a hill
overlooking Kabul. The plans are drawn up by one of Japan’s greatest
architects, Kishô Kurokawa, who offers his services for free. They
include areas where people can assemble, a school, a water reservoir,
and a garden of 911 Sakura cherry trees: a place where the cultures of
Japan and Afghanistan can meet.

It’s not just love
for his lost son that drives Shiratori on, but his hope for the future
of humanity and harmony between nations. Certainly, his quest is
reminiscent of many Western interventions in Afghanistan, packed with
good intentions and booby-trapped at every step. But one thing is
certain: the world needs magic more than ever, and Haruhiro Shiratori
is fiercely determined to provide it.

Director’s Biography
Born in 1958, Philippe Baylaucq studied sculpture and film at the
Hornsey and St. Martin’s schools of art in London. His early films, Notre-Dame des Danses and Promise (1981), show a pronounced taste for daring and experimentation. Barcelone
(1985) cemented his position as an influential figure in art film. In
2001, Baylaucq made his first children’s film, the musical tale Hugo et le dragon, which toured the world. Next he turned his attention to the legendary Sable Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia, with Sables Émouvants.

Baylaucq’s dedication to film has earned him the Prix Lumières, which
recognized his contribution to the advancement of directors’ status in
Quebec during his chairmanship of ARRQ (Association des réalisateurs et
réalisatrices du Québec) from 1996 to 2000. He has chaired the
Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal since 2005.