Ghulam Ali Akbari (Ali Akbari)
A filmmaker and commercial director from the Hazara minority of Afghanistan, currently living and working in exile in Islamabad, Pakistan. My creative journey includes short films, documentaries, and commercial productions — works that rely on visual storytelling to build bridges between cultures. Here in Islamabad, I continue my work — learning, experimenting, and exploring new creative tools like artificial intelligence to imagine, narrate, and resist in new ways.
Throughout my career, I had often received threats because of my work — but I never imagined those threats would one day become real. There is a wound that will never heal. I will never forget that cursed day when the Taliban carried out a suicide bombing that killed seven of my closest friends and colleagues. I had to crawl over their lifeless bodies. I had to throw myself from a burning vehicle — just to survive. That day scarred not only my body but also my soul (report).
When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, freedom of expression, art, and media collapsed in Afghanistan. As a filmmaker and media activist, I could no longer work freely. Projects focused on social and human rights issues became dangerous. Censorship, threats, and fear cast a shadow over everything. The psychological pressure became overwhelming. I could no longer be myself — not in my art, and not in my life. I’m deeply afraid that the same terrifying event of January 20, 2016, could happen again. I believe in freedom of expression, and I cannot stay silent or turn away from my people or my art — it would betray everything I stand for.
Despite living in exile, I remain connected to the world. Just as I once collaborated with institutions like the Goethe-Institut in Afghanistan, I now seek global artistic dialogue. My membership in the Exile Media Forum 2025 in Germany brought new hope. It reminds me that my voice is still being heard, and that storytelling remains one of the most powerful tools for resistance and connection.
Today, I am searching for a new creative home,
A place where I can live and work without fear,
A place where freedom of expression is protected and art can truly thrive,
And a place where my two young daughters, can pursue their education freely — without fear or discrimination.
HOPE
" art breathes, even in exile "