Hell on Earth

In the wake of September 11, 2001, putting on a sympathetic face for Afghanistan was difficult for most Americans. But as Osama bin Laden reportedly hid out there, innocent Afghans, already under siege by the Taliban, braced themselves for our assault. For decades, Afghans have faced starvation, disease and the looming threat of land mines. The film Earth and Ashes (Terre et Cendres) tells the story of their plight.

Ashes recounts the remarkable journey of Dastaguir, who is walking across the scarred and dusty Afghan landscape with his young grandson Yassin to deliver some bad news. He must inform his son, who is working in a distant coal mine, that their village has been bombed and the entire family -- with the exception of Yassin and himself -- has perished.
Fri., April 7, 7 p.m.; Sun., April 9, 9 p.m.