The Making of a Demonstration
Filmed in Kabul, Afghanistan, The Making of a Demonstration shows a thousand veiled Afghan women demanding rights, work and food. The scenes are surreal, partly because the women are encouraged and directed by men wielding megaphones and machine guns. Gradually, it becomes apparent that the protest is an elaborate staging.
Sandra Schäfer’s video examines a 2002 re-enactment of an actual demonstration from 1996 in which women protested against a Taliban-imposed ban on their right to work. The American occupying forces made it possible for Afghan director Siddiq Barmak to make the feature film Osama, released in 2003. The scene formed part of the film, and the women received payment for their participation.
Schäfer’s behind-the-scenes imagery transforms this re-enactment of real-life events into her own narrative where the Afghan women play the leading roles. By focusing specifically on this event, she creates a portrayal that is as fascinating as it is confusing. The events of 1996 and 2002 take on added relevance in 2025 because the Taliban has returned to power and women in Afghanistan can no longer demonstrate, let alone work for money.