Kabuli Kid directed by Barmak Akram is a France - Afghanistan co-production, which takes place in the capital city of Afghanistan, Kabul which has been under the pressure of Taliban management for over 25 years. Kabuli Kid is both artistic and entertaining, comical and political, calm and fast-paced film about a disordered city.
Khaled (Hadji Gul) is a taxi-driver, father of five girls, trying to make ends meet in Kabul. He drives around the city full of chaos, confusion and tanks. One day a woman dressed up in a blue burqa comes to his taxi with a young baby boy. As the woman leaves and the other customer comes in, the baby is still at the backseat. As Khaled tries to find the mother of the baby he starts to feel responsibility for it. Should he adopt the boy, since he has only got girls? What I know about Afghan culture it's very important to have a boy. The search for the unknown mother works as an allegory for war. The city is full of chaos and confusion -- full of tanks, violence and exploitation, orders and commands.
Khaled has an interesting hobby; he trains pigeons on his roof. In his opinion, it's not a suitable job for girls, even that his daughter would like to try it. Eventually Khaled's father takes his granddaughter to the roof. Kabuli Kid is basically a growth story; Khaled's journey to learn to approval and taking responsibility. In the end we get the solution and everything clears up. The city is no longer chaotic and confusing, but clear and functional. There's no tanks or traffic anymore. After this shot we see a block of birds, pigeons, flying away to freedom -- Kabuli Kid managed to create a redemption. Redeeming the viewer from the distressing Afghanistan reality. Kabuli Kid is funny and intelligent. It's a good description of Afghanistan under the Taliban management Highly recommended to everyone, a very good small film indeed.
