Afghanistan’s Photojournalism Revolution

During the Taliban’s rule over Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, photography was completely banned in the country. The recent press freedom that the country has seen since the removal of the regime is still minimal, but the people of the country have taken full advantage of it wherever they can. However, as 2014 approaches and the troops begin to withdraw, the people of Afghanistan fear that the world’s media and the freedom of speech briefly handed to them will disappear along with the troops. Now, photojournalists in Afghanistan are determined to step up to the plate and take on the responsibility of keeping their country in the news and in the thoughts of the world’s citizens.

An inspiring documentary produced by two Brooklyn-based directors portrays this struggle of photojournalism in the war torn land. Alexandria Bombach and Mo Scarpelli began shooting “Frame by Frame” in October 2012, a touching piece of work that follows the lives of four Afghan photojournalists as they fight to ensure that the Taliban’s crack down on the press does not fall back into place once the rest of the world withdraws from the country.

The documentary features the stories of Pulitzer Prize-winning news photographer Massoud Hossaini; Farzana Wahidy, one of the few female photojournalists in Afghanistan; TV photographer Wakil Kohsar; and seasoned documentary photographer Najibullah Musafer, who was shooting in secret during the Taliban’s regime. Directors Bombach and Scarpelli aim to produce something different from the usual media coverage of war, struggle and oppression in Afghanistan. Instead, they hope to document some of the hopes and visions for Afghanistan as seen through the eyes of these local photojournalists and hope to show the world some of the great things that are going on in Afghanistan that we never seem to hear about.

[Image Credit: Frame by Frame]

You can be a part of this movement by helping support the Frame by Frame project through their Kickstarter page or by simply spreading the world about the plight of local photojournalists in Afghanistan.