Oscars: Afghanistan Selects ‘Raftan’ for Foreign-Language Category

Afghanistan has chosen Raftan (“Parting”) as its submission for the 89th Academy Awards foreign-language category.

Written and directed by Navid Mahmoudi, the film is a co-production between Afghanistan and Iran. Raftan revolves around a pair of young Afghan lovers who get separated when Fereshteh (played by Fereshteh Hosseini) has to leave the country with her parents to find refuge in Iran. Her lover Nabi (Reza Ahmadi) embarks on a mission to find her, crossing the border illegally before taking her through Turkey and towards Europe for a better life.

The title has dialogue in the Farsi and Dari languages. Raftan is set to have its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival in October. France-based Dreamlab Films is handling international sales.