Kabul, Afghanistan: Film Aid International Introduces Outdoor Movies in Kabul, Afghanistan

In February 2002, FilmAid sent three volunteers to Kabul to assess the viability of outdoor screening programs for Afghan and Pakistani camp communities. They showed The Wizard of Oz and Children of Heaven to 450 street children in a small classroom outside the city -- for many, the first film they had ever seen. Their teacher had explained the Oz story beforehand so the children could follow the English dialogue. When the film bloomed from black and white into color, the children gasped.

“Showing pictures from other cultures fulfills one of FilmAid's goals: to chip away at the often fatal misunderstanding between peoples,” said producer Caroline Baron, who led the trip. Films are always selected in close consultation with local leaders; Charlie Chaplin silents are universally popular.