Documented Screening Program: Hollywoodgate

In the immediate aftermath of the United States’ chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban – now in control of the country – enters an American base in Kabul called Hollywood Gate, reputed to have been a secret CIA station. There they find a portion of over $7 billion in sophisticated American weaponry left in the country: numerous small arms and munitions, jet fighters, Black Hawk helicopters, and other military equipment. Much of it is damaged, but the base is also equipped with many of the parts needed to fix the arsenal.

Egyptian journalist and filmmaker Ibrahim Nash’at’s unprecedented and audacious Hollywoodgate follows the Taliban members over the course of a year. It picks up where the world left off, as the new head of Afghanistan’s air force, Malawi Mansour, orders his soldiers to restore the weaponry and train themselves to use it. We bear witness as the Taliban transform from a fundamentalist militia into a heavily armed military regime preparing for war beyond Afghanistan’s borders.

Nash’at, granted unique but fraught access to Afghanistan, documents what the Taliban will allow him to see to offer a chilling and gripping portrait of what is happening inside Afghanistan today. From Oscar®-winning producer Shane Boris, Hollywoodgate is an essential documentary, and was shortlisted for the 2025 Best Documentary Academy Award®.

Ticketing information: Tickets are $14 for AIDC delegates and are available to purchase via the ACMI website or in-person at the ACMI ticket desk.

 

Image credit: Hollywoodgate (HG Films LLC, 2023). Image courtesy of Madman Entertainment.

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