The fourth Mehrgan International Film Festival opened in Kabul, where Afghan government officials and prominent personalities from the cinema industry called for more work to be done for the film industry in the country.

Forty-eight short films from Afghanistan and other countries have been selected for the festival from among 150 films. Twenty-four Afghani films will compete and these films will be screened in the next few days at the Academy of Arts and Cinema Sciences of the Afghan Film.

“This festival takes place in a situation where Afghan art and cinema are falling because of a growing lack of attention,” said Ali Mohammad Kiyan, chairman of the academy of arts and cinema sciences.

At the event, Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah expressed satisfaction with the work of the Afghan cinema and Afghan actors. “We can say with courage that the sons of this country, including the girls and boys, men and women, have proved their status in arts and cinema under a difficult situation,” he said.

Meanwhile, a number of artists called on the Afghan government to support the Afghan film industry so it can grow better in the future.

“We can produce very good films if there are resources, this gives us more courage and determination to put a step forward and prove ourselves,” said Shabnam Sharifi, an artist.