(USA/2004)
directed by Liz Mermin
In 2002The New York Times reported about three expatriate Afghan women who retuned to Kabul after more than twenty years in the U.S. in order to open a beauty school. American filmmaker Liz Mermin thought the inevitable clash of cultures in bringing western cosmetics and hair care to war-torn Kabul would make for an entertaining documentary, but instead found moving insights into the lives of women who survived a regime that made repression of women’s humanity a cornerstone of its political agenda. The Beauty Academy of Kabul documents the women's heroic efforts to rebuild a society affirms their creativity. "Just because we were twenty-four years at war, does that mean that we are not good enough to be beautiful?" —Fatima Gaillanni, Kabul-based women's activist.  Sun. at 7:00 & Mon. at 7:30 

“Touching, enlightning and often funny, the most entertaining portait you’ll ever see of post-Taliban  Afganistan.”
                                        —IndieWire