Watandar, My Countryman on SBS Viceland – In 2015 photographer and Human Rights Activist Muzafar Ali is resettled in Australia, and becomes the first in five generations of his family to no longer be a refugee.
When he discovers that Afghans have been in Australia for 160 years, he’s compelled to photograph and document the stories of their descendants.
Then, on August 15th 2021, the Taliban take over Afghanistan. With his homeland lost, he’s driven to help and reaches out to his former colleagues, whose lives are in danger. They share macabre jokes over Facetime – “the Taliban headquarters is in their old office across the road.
Would you like to see?” – but underneath their desperation is obvious. He tries to help them escape, but he also knows that millions will be left behind and he must do everything he can to keep their hope alive.
His photography project becomes an even more personal journey as he recognises, in the descendants, his own search for a new Afghan-Australian identity.
He finds them in all walks of life; Ken and Larl who worked on the famous Ghan train, Frank a member of the stolen generation, and Nici the renowned art gallery curator.
They each represent a possible future for his daughters. Meanwhile, his friends from Afghanistan are caught in evermore terrifying incidents and Muzafar provides us with a first-hand perspective on their experiences.
Finally, in June 2022, Muzafar and his family travel to the famed Camel Cup in Marree to share a curry with their new friends. They have found a new home, with their Watandar.
Watandar, My Countryman on SBS Viceland and SBS on Demand – Premiere / Wednesday 12 June at 10.25pm
TV Central SBS content HERE
