Roya Film House (RFH) was founded in 2003 to shine a light on the plight of women in Afghanistan with feature films, documentaries and TV series. It was the first woman-run and woman-oriented film company to be established in Afghanistan. Throughout the years, RFH helped transform Afghan society’s perception of women working in cinema and inspired a new generation of Afghan women to enter filmmaking, television, journalism and the arts. The Taliban’s return to power in 2021 abruptly halted all independent initiatives. Women-led businesses were closed and filmmaking became virtually impossible inside the country. The RFH team was forced into exile. Much of the company’s archive and equipment remained in Kabul, making production and the preservation of its work extraordinarily difficult. Despite these challenges, RFH continues its mission internationally – and makes connections with women’s networks worldwide.

In February, at our annual Berlinale meeting, we presented the work of the Roya Film House and the Herat Women’s Film Festival. As a direct result of the event, Elisa Jochum successfully lobbied the Deutsche Kinemathek to safeguard the RFH’s archive.

Now, as part of the Film Restored film heritage festival, the Roya Film House’s projects are being showcased and strategies for artistic resilience and cultural resistance are being discussed. This event also symbolises the unwavering belief that cinema can preserve history, combat injustice and give a voice to those who refuse to be silenced.

Panel and presentation with: Alka Sadat and Roya Sadat (both from Roya Film House), Betty Schiel (IFFF Dortmund+Köln) and Elisa Jochum (Deutsche Kinemathek)
In English

23 October | 3.00 pm | Sinema Transtopia Berlin | Info & Tickets

»Roya Film House in Exile« is a cooperation between Roya Film House (RFH), IFFF Dortmund+Köln and the Deutsche Kinemathek/Film Restored Festival.