From Here to There. Contemporary films from Afghanistan

When addressing Afghanistan in international cinema, it is striking that many of the films dealing with the country’s diverse history – whether fictional or documentary – are told from an external perspective. While Afghanistan has a rich history of filmmaking, cinematic narratives that have the power to mediate perception rarely make it out of the country.

With From Here to There, Goethe-Institut in Exile focuses on the topic of movement and the many forms it takes. From forced migration out of the country to the impossible movement of women within society and the journey of films as historic objects, the films of this series depict personal, everyday and multitudinous perspectives on contemporary Afghanistan.


Ibrahim Hotak was the last director of Goethe-Institut Kabul before it was closed to the public in 2019. Following his studies in Germany, he began working at the Goethe-Institut in 2005 and has since initiated and organized numerous cultural events.

Marc-André Schmachtel is head of programmes at Goethe-Institut in Exile. Alongside collaborating with various film festivals, he previously worked at Goethe-Institut Cameroon and Goethe-Institut Lagos, Nigeria.

Partners of the film program are DOK.fest München and JX Fund.