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Would you put your life on the line for your music?
RocKabul is a coming of age documentary which deals with youth identity and freedom of expression that existed on the precipitous of the fragile city of Kabul. It shows the strength of the human spirit as Afghanistan’s first and only metal band, District Unknown, reach out to the disenchanted Afghan youth, the expat community and eventually the outside world. However, by challenging this traditional Islamic republic, District Unknown literally put themselves and their fans in the firing line. The grassroots music movement which encouraged the participation of men and women alike ultimately crumbles under the weight of the conservative society that shadows them. Captured by Australian filmmaker, Travis Beard who lived in Kabul for seven years, the film features a side of Afghan life rarely shown in Western media.
RocKabul was funded by Screen Australia and US Embassy, Kabul. It is produced by Rockabul Pty Ltd in association with No Thing Productions, Argus, TigerNest Films and Gammaglimt. It has screened at more than 40 film festivals internationally, was nominated for Best Australian Documentary at the Sydney Film Festival and won Best Music Documentary at the Arizona Film Festival.
Directed by Travis Beard
Produced by No Thing Productions, Argus, TigerNest Films and UpNorth
Executive Producers: Travis Beard, Bill Gould, Leslie Knott and Clementine Malpas
Co-Producers: Christian Falch, Torstein Parelius
Directed by Travis Beard
Produced by No Thing Productions, Argus, TigerNest Films and UpNorth
Executive Producers: Travis Beard, Bill Gould, Leslie Knott and Clementine Malpas
Co-Producers: Christian Falch, Torstein Parelius
Would you put your life on the line for your music?
RocKabul is a coming of age documentary which deals with youth identity and freedom of expression that existed on the precipitous of the fragile city of Kabul. It shows the strength of the human spirit as Afghanistan’s first and only metal band, District Unknown, reach out to the disenchanted Afghan youth, the expat community and eventually the outside world. However, by challenging this traditional Islamic republic, District Unknown literally put themselves and their fans in the firing line. The grassroots music movement which encouraged the participation of men and women alike ultimately crumbles under the weight of the conservative society that shadows them. Captured by Australian filmmaker, Travis Beard who lived in Kabul for seven years, the film features a side of Afghan life rarely shown in Western media.
RocKabul was funded by Screen Australia and US Embassy, Kabul. It is produced by Rockabul Pty Ltd in association with No Thing Productions, Argus, TigerNest Films and Gammaglimt. It has screened at more than 40 film festivals internationally, was nominated for Best Australian Documentary at the Sydney Film Festival and won Best Music Documentary at the Arizona Film Festival.
District Unknown: when heavy metal becomes a death sentence – Rolling Stone
‘Martyrs of Metal’ Chronicles a Metal Band in Afghanistan Railing Against the Taliban – IndieWire
RocKabul, a film featuring Afghanistan’s first heavy metal band – The National
Would you risk your life for heavy metal? – Double J
Travis Beard, director of RocKabul: Music is a Global Language – Haon
Afghan metal documentary Rockabul to premiere in London – Metal Hammer
