Building Local Capacity – Amplifying Afghan Voices through Filmmaking
The Fruit of Our Labor films were made by Afghans during an intensive 5-week training in documentary production provided by Community Supported Film. After three weeks of rigorous exercises, each student developed and produced a character driven short documentary. For many of the trainees, this is their directorial debut.
The Fruit of Our Labor: Afghan Perspectives in Film
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The Fruit of Our Labor: Afghan Perspectives in Film
As the international community reflects on the impact of more than 11 years of war in Afghanistan, CSFilm provides an opportunity to also reflect on the situation from an Afghan perspective through these 10 Afghan-made documentaries. Each short offers a personal and first-hand Afghan point of view rarely seen or heard in the US, even after 11 years of intense media coverage. These films bring to life Afghans’ daily efforts to address their challenging social and economic conditions – providing an insider perspective beyond the battlefront coverage that dominates western media.
Prevent Another Crisis
As an organization that trains Afghan documentary filmmakers, Community Supported Film (CSFilm) works for an Afghanistan that is not abandoned and left to survive another humanitarian crisis. With these films we seek to raise the concerns of Afghans as we deliberate about our immediate and long-term role in Afghanistan. Read more here: Get the Troops Out? and Take Action here.
DVDs available NOW!
To see the full versions of these remarkable films please order a copy of the DVD – $25 for private use and home screenings, $250 for institutional use and public screening* – by buying online or sending a check to Community Supported Film, 56 Parkton Road, Boston MA 02130. Please write ”TFOL DVD order” on your check. Please email us with any questions at or call 617-834-7206.
* CSfilm’s primary mission is to get these films seen and discussed as widely as possible. We appreciate your understanding, however, that CSFilm’s trainings, production and distribution work is underfunded. Therefore, when collaborating with organizations or educational institutions we request they purchase the DVD for their library and public screening for $250. Please be in touch with us however if this is beyond your means. CSFilm director Michael Sheridan is also available to present the films.
Organize a Screening and Spread the Word
We are asking schools, organizations, academics, activists, organizers, and individuals to host screenings and put these films to good use in discussions about Afghanistan, war, peace, effective aid, gender issues and cross-cultural understanding. Find out how.
CSFilm wants The Fruit of Our Labor films to be seen as widely as possible, and is seeking writers, bloggers, tweeters, organizations, and individuals to link to these films on your web site, blog, or facebook page. Contact us at for more information if you’d like to do a story about the films or trainings.
Brewing Tea in a Kettle of War
A selection of the trainees are now filming Brewing Tea in a Kettle of War (BTKW). BTKW is an experience of what it is like for Afghan villagers’ to have different outsiders — foreign soldiers, contractors and the Afghan government — coming into their communities supposedly trying to help them.
View film excerpt
These films portray how life is in many developing countries — things often taken for granted in developed countries. The film is not primarily tugging for an emotional response as much as it portrays the challenges faced by these people and how communities are bringing change in a respectful and positive manner. Good job! Thanks.
These films certainly make me feel grateful to be an American. It looks so hard to live in Afghanistan. I feel deeply for these people and thank these filmmakers for sharing their lives with me.
Love, Cordette
Dear filmmaker, thank you very much for sharing and reflecting the Afghans life with the world specially donor community. As the people of the world know that the three decades of civil war within Afghanistan have deeply affected the people of Afghanistan in terms of education, civilization and economic growth.