Last year, Deborah
@decharess and I accompanied a team of young Afghan women footballers who were at that time calling for international recognition.
They met in Switzerland after nearly four years of living across Europe in exile, after each of them was forced to flee when the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan.
They crossed borders, lived in asylum camps, just to arrive somewhere they could start again and pursue their passion. To simply play football.
A right every woman, every girl should have but which is withheld to women in Afghanistan.
What stayed with me was their positive energy. Their playfulness. Their wholehearted way of being, despite everything they have experienced.
Seeing them together, playing on the pitch, is not only about sport. It’s a political act. Coming from a place where the rights of women are stripped away, where they are silenced and erased from public spaces, makes stepping onto that pitch exactly that:
an act of defiance. A form of resistance.
This short film gives a glimpse into that reunion and the dreams that came with it.
I’m incredibly thankful to have met them and what has grown since.
Thanks to
@khalida_popal_girlpower and her organisation
@girlpower_global , whose work supported the evacuation of the players and continues to push for equality in sport.
Forever greatful to this team for bringing this short film to life 💞 - link in Bio
Directed and Edited by Yonca Ergen
@yonca.sophia
Camera by Deborah Rhyner
@decharess &
@yonca.sophia
Starring:
Fatima Urfani
Farishta Qasemi
Sevin Azimi
Omul Banin Ramzi
Fatima Ahmadi
Maryam Karimyar
Masuma Mohammadi
Zahra Wakili
Sahar Chamran
Sabriya Rajabi
Elaha Safdari
Coach:
Ayisat Yusuf
@success4lyf
Khalida Popal
@khalida_popal_girlpower
Pelin Bal
@pelinbal3
Emily Bisgaard
@emilybhk
Color by Lukas Schaller
@lukasschaller.color
Sound by Nina Cutkovic
@ninacutkovic
Titledesign & Graphics by Jonas Wolff
@jwwwolff
Special Thanks to:
Timon Flükiger
@timon_flu &
@studio.uto
Camp organized by
@coubertin_meets_dunant_ 
