Paikar

Afghan artist-filmmaker Dawood Hilmandi is called paikar—the Persian word for “war” or “warrior”—by his family. His parents use this nickname proudly, but in this family portrait, it seems more of a burden than a blessing. In Paikar, Hilmandi shows his return home, where he hopes to mend his relationship with his aging, authoritarian father.

Hilmandi and his seven brothers and sisters live scattered across the world. They are warriors, driven apart by war. Hilmandi himself has found his home in Amsterdam, where he wanders the busy streets and reflects on “home”. But what is home? He first fled Afghanistan, then Iran, and later his devoutly religious father.

After suffering a great loss, Hilmandi returns to Iran to spend time with his father. They watch television, go to the mosque, and reminisce. Together they travel to Afghanistan, where, under the threat of Covid-19, they grow closer. They find resilience in survival and experience new forms of freedom in times of great uncertainty.