The Land of the Enlightened

2016

1h 23m

Documentary

Drama

War

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List

43%

Tomatometer

7 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

As Americans occupy their country, young Afghans dig up old Soviet mines to sell the explosives to other children.

Tara Brady

Irish Times

It's remarkable that the film was made at all. If only it had been made a little better.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 28, 2016

Full Review

Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

Made over seven years, The Land of the Enlightened is an earnest, if woolly headed, docudrama from the Belgian photographer Pieter-Jan De Pue.

Rated: 2/5

Oct 10, 2016

Full Review

Phil Hoad

Guardian

Possibly the only film in which you can witness a tube of lapis lazuli being rammed up a donkey's arse.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 9, 2016

Full Review

Vadim Rizov

Filmmaker Magazine

By about the 15th David Lean-esque wide shot of tiny trains of horses and caravans against the epic landscape, I wanted to scream.

Jan 18, 2023

Full Review

Curtis Cook

Willamette Week

This is a visually stunning film that raises questions about what's next for Afghanistan, but the lack of a cohesive narrative makes it hard to care.

Rated: 2/4

Feb 8, 2017

Full Review

Ali Catterall

Total Film

A unique, stunning window to an extreme world.

Rated: 5/5

Dec 28, 2016

Full Review

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Audience Member

Don't expect a simple narrative. Rather different perspectives of Afghan istan, but mostly through the eyes of children, acting like adults.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

Audience Member

a very unusual, unsettling yet beautiful film. raises more question than answers but it would be wrong for a film to give answers to such a complex subject

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Style in abundance and interesting contrast between realities, but the films ambitions are blown out of proportion considering it overall lack of engagement.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

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Pieter-Jan De Pue

Director

Sohrab Nazari

Narrator

Marina Golbahari

Actor

Pieter-Jan De Pue

Writer

David Dusa

Writer

Morgan Bushe

Executive Producer

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The Land of the Enlightened: Trailer 1

2:59

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Synopsis

As Americans occupy their country, young Afghans dig up old Soviet mines to sell the explosives to other children.

Director: Pieter-Jan De Pue
Producer: Bart Van Langendonck
Screenwriter: Pieter-Jan De Pue, David Dusa
Genre: Documentary, Drama, War
Original Language: Persian
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 4, 2017
Runtime: 1h 23m