‘Watandar, My Countryman’ documentary depicts historic relationship between Afghan Cameleers and Indigenous communities
Ten years ago, photographer and human rights activist Muzafar Ali met Australian film maker Jolyon Hoff and together they helped start the first refugee-led school in Indonesia. In 2015 Muzafar was resettled in Australia and recently they have completed another feature documentary, Watandar My Countryman.
Former Afghan Refugee and photographer, Muzafar Ali, discovers that Afghans have been an integral part of Australia for over 160 years, he begins to photograph their descendants in a search to define his own new Afghan-Australian identity.
Watandar, My Countryman, is a documentary that touches on some of Australia and the world’s biggest geopolitical stories including; the relationship between colonial, ancient and immigrant Australians, our treatment of refugees, the division between the world’s dominant religions, the success and or lack of success of the international forces in Afghanistan, and the power of individuals to create change.
The Wire’s Aryana Mohmood spoke to Muzaffir Ali, former refugee from Afghanistan, photographer and human rights activist and Jolyon Hoff, film-maker.
To get the latest screening information, you can go to watandar.com.au.