The Prayers of a Warlord (2003)

For the first time a warlord opens his doors and takes us on an intimate tour to the heart of the Afghan feudal system. Mamour Hasan governs 50,000 people in Dash-Te-Qalah, in the north east corner of Afghanistan. They are largely Tajik and Pashtun. Gray bearded and mild mannered, with an army 10,000 strong, his authority is unchallenged. The film opens with the peaceful image of Hasan praying by the side of a river. Later he explains how he opposed the cruelty of the Taliban. Their version of Islam, he says, is not the true Islam, which is forgiving and tolerant. We follow him through the busy local market, friendly but firmly collecting taxes from the vendors. This revenue stays in his domain. With it, he pays the army, supports the schools, and his Council of Elders takes care of those in need. He mediates justice in a benevolent way. Hassan has enlightened views on women, although his three wives refuse to be filmed. This documentary takes one to a world far from urban Kabul and global politics, but representative of much of the countryside. Although the term "warlord" has been bandied about by journalists and commentators reporting on Afghanistan, this portrait of Mamour Hasan and his villagers illuminates a way of life, a social organization and indeed a mentality that needs to be understood by westerners considering the future of Afghanistan