Bambirak is a really simple, yet delightful short film that runs at just 13 minutes long. The film follows 8 year old Kati from Afghanistan along with her father Faruk trying to hold down his first job in a new country. Faruk works as a delivery driver, dropping off packages to people and one day Kati hides away in his truck and joins him at his work and the two bond together and their relationship deepens.
The film sees Faruk juggling his responsibilities as a single father looking after his daughter whilst also trying to work hard and do his job correctly in a new country but he and Kati spend the day together letting bringing them closer.
It’s a simple film but it elicits strong emotions in the viewer and it has a lot to say about father-daughter relationships as well as identity. Through the cinematography, a nice and warm atmosphere is created making the bond between Kati and Faruk really shine through.
It’s a sweet film about a father and his young daughter who both seek to better understand their place in the world and in their new home. When the two have a brush with everyday racism after an incident at a flower shop, it brings the two together, but most importantly, the film does this so effectively because we see it all from a child’s perspective and we see their response to it all.
Director Zamarin Wahdat has made a sensitive film about the bond between a father and daughter that fully engages us in their relationship and makes for an engaging watch. The relationship between Faruk and Kati can really be felt by the viewer and the film captures the terror of experiencing a new environment really well.
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Zamarin Wahdat
RUNTIME: 13 minutes
COUNTRY: Germany
Film Rating: