Summer 2021 saw the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years at war with the Taliban. The speed at which the Afghanistan government collapsed and the Taliban seized control of the capitol city Kabul shocked the world, leaving American forces scrambling to evacuate tens of thousands of Afghan citizens amid chaos and violence.
Directed by Jamie Roberts, Escape From Kabul chronicles those harrowing 18 days in August.
The official synopsis: “This deeply immersive and emotional documentary combines never-before-seen archival footage from those on the ground at the airport, with exclusive interviews with people who were there throughout the period, including Afghan citizens attempting to flee, U.S. Marines tasked with managing the evacuation, and Taliban commanders and fighters who had recently taken the city.”
The shock moment of the trailer is when it shifts from American perspectives to interview with representatives of the Taliban. That angle alone promises a very different documentary.
Escape from Kabul lands at HBO Max September 21st, a little over a year after the evacuation. Hopefully it will shed some light on the days and months after, even as the Afghanistan War Commission continues to explore the full scope of the 20-year-long war.
No stranger to chaos, Roberts’ Four Hours at the Capitol provided a mob’s eye view into the January 6th insurrection when then-president Donald Trump attempted to get followers to stop the certification of Joe Biden‘s election.
