Filling the cultural melting pot that is UB was an advanced screening of The Kite Runner at the SU Theater Thursday night. It is the not yet released film adaptation of Khaled Hosseini's gripping novel of the same name.
The ethnicity of those in attendance was anything but united, but everyone - regardless of faith and background - felt the same sense of triumph at the film's conclusion.
For those unfamiliar with the film (originally set for an early November release and delayed until Dec. 14 over safety concerns for the film's rising young stars), it can be described as taboo within the Middle Eastern culture.
Though there are clearly heartfelt sentiments at the forefront, the film delves into the darkest dregs of the Afghani culture and sheds light on the evilest of intentions.
The story revolves around Amir (Khalid Abdalla), an affluent boy from the upper class Wazir Akbar Khan section of Kabul and his relationship with Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada), the son of his father's Hazara servant.
Through victory, defilement and defeat, Amir and Hassan are torn apart, and the character study begins.
The riveting performances by Zekeria Ebrahimi and Mahmidzada, who play young Amir and Hassan, respectively, are worthy of praise. Ebrahimi's portrayal of a kind-hearted yet fully aware child of privilege, and Mahmidzada's warm yet all-encompassing loyalty, set the pace for the bombs (both metaphorical and physical) to come. Their kite fighting battles are epic, their victory is sweet and the unexpected downfall of their relationship is tragic.
It's no wonder that the child actors feared for their lives after filming ceased, as the rape scene between Hassan's character and a group of hateful students would be unthinkable in any culture, let alone in a society as tumultuous and unforgiving as that in Afghanistan. What Hounddog was to Dakota Fanning, The Kite Runner is to Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada.
As the Soviets invade Afghanistan, Amir and his father Baba (Homayon Ershadi) flee to California with little more than their lives. The rest of the film looks at the relationship between Amir and Baba and their new role as common folk, dealing with love and regret.
In the US, Amir has to encounter things he would have never known back home. He dreams to write and watches others live to criticize. When he falls in love, he needs his father to ask permission, as his muse is of a superior. Their love is supervised. Life is an all-out struggle for mediocrity, yet he cherishes his newfound freedom.
Though Runner is extremely heavy, there are some scenes that lighten the mood. The first date between Amir and Soraya Taheri (Atossa Leoni) and her mother's not-so-subtle perusal, not to mention the exchange between Baba and an Americanized Russian doctor, are cute and jovial. These scenes come as a much-needed bonus emotionally, as viewers have been through a lot and will need it for what's to come.
During the physical demise of Baba, Amir is told a shocking secret about his true relationship with Hassan. After finding out devastating news about Hassan and his wife, Amir heads to the dangerous Taliban-laden land in hopes of saving their son Sohrob.
Here he witnesses violence in its most raw form. The fight for Sohrob, Amir's emotional roller coaster and their potential escape is riveting.
The Kite Runner offers so much more to the viewer than most of today's cinema. Its unabashed look at a secret culture, its deep-rooted emotion and its grassroots filming technique are absolutely gripping.
It's not often that a movie with certain religious and societal ties can transcend its core-audience as Runner does. The emotion is real, the religious struggle is understandable to all, and, in the end, everyone is fighting the same struggle.
The differences between American life and that in Afghanistan are mind-boggling. Runner forces viewers to empathize with its characters and their plight.
After viewing such an emotional masterpiece, one can't help but realize how much is taken for granted: freedoms, unrestricted love, a safe upbringing; these things just are not offered in a land that's dominated by evil.
The Kite Runner succeeds in every way it's meant to. As this holiday season approaches and minds are set to materialism, take a break from it all for The Kite Runner and be humbled, if only for a few minutes.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
