While speculating over the triumph of feature films “Island” and “Taras Bulba”, we came to a sudden conclusion that the common thought about the modern viewer seeking only for pop-corn and show is totally false. Russian viewer has long been starving for moving films, which make the viewer think and sympathize with the characters. Our new film Kandahar is from this type of films.

“Kandahar” raises difficult questions in front of the viewer and makes them confront with the true sole-scorching drama. Being a classical combination of action and suspense, the film catches the viewer’s attention from the very start and holds it up to the end, which comes upon the audience like a cascade of stunning events.

1995. The plane completing an air cargo delivery to Kabul is attacked by a Taliban fighter plane over Kandahar. The crew is taken captives and they have to survive in the hell during 378 days. The have only one chance. Escape.

How not to betray your country if the price for the betrayal is freedom? How not to betray the religion, if the price for it is your own life? How to remain yourself under the threat of death? The only answer is to escape….

The plane is waiting for them at the airfield. The take-off strip is mined, the fighter planes are in the air and the stingers are on the land. But they have no other chance to return home…

On the 14th of July, 1995 Russian airplane IL-76 “Aerostan” airline was performing commercial flight from Albania (from Istanbul – in the film) to Kabul. The plane crew consisted of seven (five – in the film) men: crew captain Vladimir Sharpatov (Alexandr Baluev), second pilot Gazinur Hairullin (Vladimir Mashkov), flight navigator Alexandr Zdora (Andrey Panin), flight engineer Askhat Abbyazov (Bogdan Benyuk), wireless operator Yuriy Vshivtsev (Alexandr Golubev), onboard engineers Sergey Butuzov and Victor Ryazanov. The plane transported ammunition on board, meant for Afghanistan government, which by international law was declared humanitarian.
In the sky above Kandahar our plane was suddenly attacked by MIG-21 – Taliban insurrectionary movement fight plane. IL-76 was ordered immediately to put down under the threat of fire for effect. Thus Russian pilots became captives of Afghan Taliban.

Director Andrei Kavun:

“It’s interesting to know that before Taliban took our plane crew captives, nobody had taken them seriously. There are lots of terrorist groups in Afghanistan! What’s a big deal about bare-footed people with automatic guns running around and shooting each other? Let them run, let them shoot… but the hostage taking drew attention to the Taliban; the negotiations started, in which international delegations, journalists and television groups began to participate actively. Of course, they wouldn’t have released our pilots at any cost, it would seem too nonthreatening.”

From Crew Captain Vladimir Sharpatov’s diary:

«The walls are white and strong
And the sun is at its zenith.
The laws here are different:
Death and risk go hand in hand.
And every night we dream about
The roar of dear plane….

It has been three months since we left our home and 40 days since we are here. Cane is the only meal for today’s dinner. Only 5 boxes with water are left. It seems to me, that in a few weeks we won’t be able to move on a type of “fuel” like this.

In the morning an old preacher came. He wanted to teach us Koran so that we became Muslims. He offered to apply for freedom for us in exchange. I voiced my doubt…”