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Three Songs for Benazir, a 22-minute short Afghan documentary, premiered on January 24, 2022 on Netflix. Directed by remarkable creative duo Elizabeth Mirzaei and Gulistan Mirzaei, the heartfelt Oscar-shortlisted documentary won the Award of Excellence at the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival and Jury Award for best short documentary at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival.
This thought-provoking short documentary enlightens viewers about the present-day life of war-torn Afghan refugees through the story of a young man named Shaista and his newlywed wife Benazir. The couple are shown fending for themselves in a displaced persons camp in Kabul.
It is certainly a gripping portrayal of how dreams are born even in a time and place full of uncertainty.
'Three Songs for Benazir': Review
A compelling story told in a compassionate manner
The docudrama Three Songs for Benazir is quite powerful and contemplative as it makes a compelling statement about those living a life of uncertainty in the displaced persons camp in Kabul. But the story is told tenderly, giving the audience the scope to ponder about how their life would have been if they were in a different place and time.
Three Songs for Benazir begins with Shaista singing a song for his beloved wife Benazir. Viewers are bound to feel warm inside, seeing the latter blush as Shaista expresses his feelings through a song.
As foreign planes fly over their camp, Shaista is seen going through an inner war to choose between fending for his family and being the first member of his tribe to join the Afghan Army.
The docudrama encapsulates the catastrophic circumstances that have shaped the destiny of humanity, displayed through the piercing eyes of two innocent people.
The uniquely effective directorial style
The directors, who are a married couple, took more than four years to finish filming the documentary Three Songs for Benazir. It has a very bespoke directorial style which is quite effective and poignant.
Directors Elizabeth and Gulistan Mirzaei have weaved it in a way that perfectly brings out the striking contrast between what is shown in a scene and what exactly is happening in their life. The impending terror is juxtaposed with the unbridled affection between the couple.
For instance, Shaista is singing a song for his wife while their camp is being constantly watched by the enemies who may throw a bomb at any minute.
The narrative style of the documentary is quite raw, making it quite a calming visual experience for viewers. The directors have chosen the timing of the events quite thoughtfully, to intensify the impact of the documentary. Built on a poignant foundation, the docudrama weaves a tale of love and sacrifice.
Watch the moving short docudrama Three Songs for Benazir, streaming on Netflix from January 24, 2022.
