When Pomegranates Howl

After his brother and father are martyred, 9-year-old Hawed supports his family by selling pomegranates on the streets of Kabul during wartime.

Paradoxically, the best anti-war movie could be one about war. "When Pomegranates Howl" is set around real events without being a documentary per se. The movie is fascinating, charming, and a little awkward in how it depicts everyday life for some young boys. We're provided rare glimpses of civilians in a war zone, replete with deeply felt humanity that's all too rarely present in regular media coverage. Save a little emotion for the last scene, the pay-off is worthwhile. Not only pomegranates howl.

MIFF 2022
Bonsai Films 80 mins