AFGHAN MUSCLES About Humanity, not War

A film about human determination and following one's passions illustrates a story every culture can relate to, as opposed to illustrating the often-depicted war zone. In Danish director Andreas Mol Dalsgaard's AFGHAN MUSCLES, the story follows Hamid Shirai, an Afghani who represents those who stayed in Kabul during the war and lost family from it.

Hamid is a competitive bodybuilder, bringing honor to his country. The sport runs in his family, as his uncle and brother were famous bodybuilders, part of the national team killed in a 1992 plane crash. Hamid's best friend, Noorulhoda Shirbad, is also a bodybuilder. But he represents the group who left Afghanistan, leaving their families and their country. Noor is very individualistic, recently returning from Iran, where he built up his bodybuilding skills as a refugee. Hamid and Noor are considered two of the best bodybuilders in Kabul.

The film follows the pair as they train for and compete in the Mr. Asia competition. Scenes include weightlifting in the gym, bronzing themselves, and admiring a televised Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is truly a compelling story of people who are Afghani.

Dalsgaard is both filmmaker and anthropologist. The story of AFGHAN MUSCLES spoke to him because, "It's the fuel that triggers my work, it's a mere curiosity of the world. This is my method. To meet people and encounter places, knowing that some will continue to haunt and fascinate me inexplicably."

Kabul is such a place, and Hamid Shirzai is one of those people. The life of an elite bodybuilder in Afghanistan demands extreme determination and personal sacrifice Ñ endless hours with homemade contraptions of weights, hooks and pulleys, and never-ending struggles to gather food and proteins. It is a life that demands a heroic effort.

This is Dalsgaard's first feature debut. He is a student at The European Film College and a fiction directing student at the National Danish Film School. The Danish Film Institute is the main funding sponsor of the film, with five presales to Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Australia and Holland.

In terms of the art-live-work balance during pre-production and production, Dalsgaard admits, "It was basically horrible. I have been doing this almost non-profit and have had to work and study alongside. Ninety to 100 hours of work a week has been customary for long periods of time."