Documentaries on underachieving dreamers in filmmaking are nothing new to Fantastic Fest, but Prince Of Nothingwood manages to take this well worn premise to a whole new level thanks its fascinating subject matter. French radio journalist Sonia Kronlund sets her camera on the prolific DIY Afghani filmmaker Salim Shaheen, who has starred in/directed over 110 films and shows no sign of slowing down. When the film begins, he is currently shooting four films simultaneously as Sonia manages to do a deep dive into not only his story, but also the culture surrounding him, giving us a captivating look at a filmmaking force to be reckoned with.
Nicknamed “Nothingwood,” due to Afghanistan’s no-budget approach to film productions, we see Salim begin his filmmaking career as a general who would use his squad as extras. He slowly gained fame in a largely Islamic country, where at one point the Taliban had banned films, by echoing the country’s conservative views and simply churning out movie after movie. His films use live firearms, which due to their sheer abundance in his country makes them more readily available than fakes, while showcasing the devastation and poverty of his war torn country as a backdrop for his productions. Salim’s films were sold and traded on the black market until his fan base had grown to what it is today, finally legitimizing him. The director lives in a sprawling mansion with two wives and 14 kids.
As Salim begins to prep for an autobiographical piece, Sonia piggybacks on that to get into the many obstacles that his culture presented him with in order to achieve his dream of filmmaking. Actors and filmmaking are not reputable professions in the ultra-conservative Islamic culture, to the point where for women it’s almost prohibitive to even try. We not only hear about how Salim was beaten as a child for going to the cinema and dancing in public, but also bear witness to the bizarre and oppressive treatment of women in this very religious, male dominated society. This is a hard choice for those that wish pursue acting as a career, and we see how even though the society obviously loves these films, with their singing and dancing, those who look to this as a possible career are looked down upon by their society.
Prince Of Nothingwood gives the old adage “suffering for your art” a whole new meaning, after seeing what Salim endured to become what he is today. That could also be said for the director Sonia Kronlund. On more than one occasion while shooting in the more treacherous areas of Afghanistan, she is forced to confront her own mortality while capturing his story. Prince Of Nothingwood is a fascinating and eye opening documentary that, given today’s prejudices, is even more relevant than the filmmakers could have ever intended. It’s a crash course in the Afghani film culture that educates as it entertains with its tale on one man’s dream and how far he went to achieve it.
