Skateistan: To Live and Skate Kabul

Skateistan: To Live and Skate Kabul is a short film that follows the lives of a group of young skateboarders in Afghanistan. Operating against the backdrop of war and bleak prospects, the Skateistan charity project is the world's first co-educational skateboarding school, where a team of international volunteers work with girls and boys between the ages of 5 and 17. The short documentary film follows the lives of young skateboarders in Afghanistan, directed by UK filmmaker Orlando von Einsiedel[1]. The film team includes cinematographer Franklin Dow and editor Peta Ridley [2].

Skateistan pupils and staff jump from a discarded tank on Wazir Akbar Khan hill overlooking Kabul

The multi-awardwinning documentary film has received over a million hits online and has been the official selection at a number of top film festivals across the world including Sundance 2011, SXSW 2011, Sheffield Doc/Fest 2010, One World 2011, Santa Cruz 2011 and The London Short Film Festival 2011. Awards to date include: Best Documentary LA Skate Film Festival, Best Documentary Portable Film Festival, Best Editing Underwire Film Festival, Best Cultural Film Sheffield Adventure Film Festival, Finalist Fuji Film Shorts 2011.

References

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Skateistan: To Live and Skate Kabul

Knowledge@Wharton: Of Skateboards and Schools: Bringing New Hope to Afghanistan's Youth

L.A. Skate Film Festival: Interview with Orlando von Einsiedel

Altmuslimah: Skateistan: Gender and Skateboarding

Turnstyle: Talking about Skateistan

Diesel New Voices: http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/8757/1/diesel-new-voices