"Inquiry Regarding Kabul City"

In the world of international television, the diplomatic thriller series "Kabul" is making waves. Produced by eleven European countries under the leadership of France, this series is a captivating exploration of real and fictional events set against the backdrop of contemporary Afghanistan.

The series, produced by the French company "WILDSIDE" with key producers including Barbara Letellier and Gilles Chanial, follows several emblematic threads. Some are inspired by real situations and characters, while others propose synthetic and archetypal characters.

One of the central themes is the tragic fate of women in Afghanistan, a subject that is at the heart of the series. The Afghans in the series speak Dari, reflecting the authenticity of the portrayal. However, an unexpected choice was made for the dialogue: English. This decision was made for international sales reasons, despite initial plans to have dialogue in multiple languages.

The writers, Olivier Demangel and Thomas Finkielkraut, admitted the linguistic incongruity during the screening of the first two episodes. They expressed regret that the choice of English may not have been successful, as they still do not have an American distributor. Despite this, the writers fought to keep Dari in the series, as they believed it was important for the Afghans to speak their own language.

The series features an emblematic Afghan family of four: an intellectual father, a prosecutor mother, their soldier son, and their doctor daughter. The story also includes an invented character of a German soldier suffering from PTSD who returns to Afghanistan to save a general.

The opening scene of the series was shot at the French embassy in Afghanistan on August 21, 2021, during the Taliban's takeover. The series was filmed in Athens and an abandoned airport in Greece, with Polish directors Kasia Adamik and Oga Chajdas co-directing the episodes.

One of the real-life situations depicted in the series is the case of the last Italian consul left to fend for himself. The series, which is produced by six episodes, also depicts a diplomat catching goldfish from an aquarium and announcing that she won't let the Taliban take her fish, a scene that adds a touch of humour to the otherwise serious narrative.

"Kabul" is a pan-European collaborative project, with eleven countries contributing to its production. However, no detailed co-producers from all eleven countries were named explicitly in the search results. The series, despite not yet being available on this side of the Atlantic, was presented by France 2 at the beginning of spring in the full French version.

The series Kabul is a compelling watch, offering a unique blend of drama, suspense, and a glimpse into the lives of Afghans during a tumultuous period in their history. Women are at the centre of the fiction, making it a must-watch for those interested in understanding the plight of women in Afghanistan.