Taking its title from the name for an Afghan tribal council, Jirga follows a former Australian Special Forces soldier (Sam Smith) who is haunted by a tragic accident and returns to Afghanistan to make amends to a village family. Intrepid as a soldier, naive as a civilian, he becomes dependent on different strata of the Afghani population to take him through the country’s starkly beautiful landscape until he can confront his past. Australia’s Official Oscar® submission this year, Jirga’s behind-the-scenes creation tale is as dramatic as the story on screen. After losing permits to shoot in Pakistan because of political sensitivities around the story, director Benjamin Gilmour bought a camera in Kabul and shot Jirga in secret with actor Sam Smith. Now winning prizes and accolades at festivals around the world, Jirga is a masterful lesson in persistence, redemption, and triumph over adversity both on and off the screen.

In competition for the FIPRESCI Award.