One woman vs. bureaucracy, borders, and Taliban erasure — all for books.
"No Book This Year" tells the story of Yalda, a former staff member of Afghanistan's booth at the Frankfurt Book Fair. Years after the booth's closure, Yalda takes it upon herself to independently relaunch Afghanistan's presence at the fair. Despite numerous challenges and obstacles, her unwavering determination to showcase Afghan literature and culture shines through, illustrating the resilience of the human spirit in preserving cultural heritage.
Direction
Sharifi's intimate access builds quiet tension.
Production
Shot on the ground in Afghanistan — rare and risky.
Director
Hesam Sharifi
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Frankfurt Book Fair is the world's largest, making Afghanistan's absence a symbolic silencing. Yalda's rogue booth was technically unofficial — and technically illegal.
Director Hesam Sharifi filmed across three countries, smuggling footage out when Kabul fell faster than planned. Some interviews were conducted via hidden phone calls.
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