Wikipedia article
'Smiling in a War Zone', also known as 'Flying Down to Kabul', is a partly documentary film by artist Simone Aaberg Krn about flying from Denmark to Afghanistan to help a young Afghani girl becoming a pilot. It was filmed in 2002 and released on 14 September 2006.["[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0817955/ Smiling in a War Zone]" 'Internet Movie Database'. Retrieved: 9 September 2012.]
Background
Krn sees airspace as an expression of individual freedom, void of political borders.["[http://newscenter.sdsu.edu/sdsu_newscenter/news.aspx?s=71965 Art Gallery Exhibition Explores Women in Aviation]" 'San Diego State University College of Arts & Letters, Department of Women's Studies', 2 March 2010. Retrieved: 9 September 2012.]
In 1999, Krn made a film about Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) called 'Sisters in the sky'.["[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0439960/ 'Sisters in the sky'] 'Internet Movie Database'. Retrieved: 9 September 2012.]
Inspired by the WASPs, Krn obtained a flying license.["[http://www.denstoredanske.dk/Kunst_og_kultur/Billedkunst/Kunstnere,_danske/Simone_Aaberg_K%C3%A6rn Simone Aaberg Krn]" 'Den Store Danske Encyklopdi', 9 December 2010. Retrieved: 9 September 2012.]
Flying to Kabul
After the September 11 attacks, airspace became restricted, and allied forces deposed the Taliban regime.
In January 2002, Krn sat in a caf in Copenhagen and read a newspaper article about Farial, (16-year-old girl in Kabul) wanting to fly airplanes.[Jensen, Carsten. "[https://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/episodes/flying-down-to-kabul/smiling-in-a-war-zone/2197/ A Travel Letter: Behind the Veil in Kabul]" 'PBS / Politiken', 2002. Retrieved: 9 September 2012.] Krn decided to fly with partner Magnus Bejmar 6,000 km to Kabul and give the girl the experience of flight, and also reclaim the freedom of the skies.["[http://www.cinematurkey.com/search/simone-aaberg-farial-pilot-video Smiling in a War Zone]" 'CinemaTurkey', 22 March 2011. Retrieved: 9 September 2012.]["[https://web.archive.org/web/20101117051031/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/346007/Smiling-in-a-War-Zone/overview Smiling in a War Zone]" 'New York Times'. Retrieved: 9 September 2012.]
With money from WASP paintings in Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, she bought a Piper Colt from 1961, a small airplane.[Bech-Danielsen, Anne. "[http://politiken.dk/kultur/kunst/ECE1133584/portraet-aktivisten-og-feministen-bag-statsministerportraettet/ Portrt: Aktivisten og feministen bag statsministerportrttet]" 'Politiken', 4 December 2010. Retrieved: 9 September 2012.]
During a 3-month trip through flight-restricted Balkan, they met with female fighter pilots in Turkey["[https://www.idfa.nl/industry/tags/project.aspx?id=3a3894be-5c9c-4f90-ab53-6766cfac70f6 Smiling in a Warzone]" 'International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam'. Retrieved: 9 September 2012.] and talked about the world's first female fighter pilot Sabiha Gken,[[http://www.au.af.mil/au/goe/eagle_bios/1996/gokcen_1996.asp Sabiha Gken's biography], USAF Air Command and Staff College][[http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/gokcen.html Sabiha Gokcen biography], Hargrave Pioneers of Aviation] and made an aerial heart of smoke with the Turkish Air Force.
On day 77, they flew from Mashhad, Iran crossing the border, to Herat without authorization from NATO.
In Kabul, they met with Farial who got to fly the plane. They also met with two colonel sister pilots flying Mil Mi-17 helicopters.
In the end, cultural differences prevented Farial going further.
The film won the "Full Frame Women in Leadership Award" in 2006.[
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References
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