AFI Fest Interview: Andreas Dalsgaard – director of Afghan Muscles

An accurate and honest documentary from Danish filmmaker Andreas Mol Dalsgaard, Afghan Muscles looks at the body building culture in Afghanistan and follows a group of hopeful body builders from Kabul to Mr. Asia Competition in Dubai.

Despite the familiarity of war ravaged Afghanistan and total absence of women, the filmmaker shows a clear focus offering compelling characters  and an accurate depiction of the situation at hand – even the subtitles are accurate.

Lately it seems that any foreigner with a camera could get a documentary made in Afghanistan, and though I had initial reservations about this one, I was pleasantly surprised and equally heart broken that not much has changed in the war-torn country.

I met with the director Andreas Dalsgaard and producer Jesper Morthorst at Arclight theatres for an interview.

Yama Rahimi: How did this project came to you?

Andreas Dalsgaard: Well I studied anthropology and wanted to know more Afghanistan than what the news were showing, so I went there to see for myself. There I found out that body building was very popular sport and that's when I started to make the film.

Jesper Morthorst: Andreas did the research and work. We at Nimbus Films liked the idea and went on board.

YR: Weren't you afraid to go to Afghanistan?
AM: At first I was when I was preparing the trip but it disappeared when I was there.

YR: It's interesting you are promoting the film in California and you have our Governor featured. Have you met him?
AM: No we haven't met him but we contacted his people regarding the scenes from “Pumping Iron”. They gave us permission for free which is nice.

YR: Has he seen it?
AM: Maybe he will be here at the screening who knows. No, he hasn't seen it.
JM: We will send him a copy.

YR: I think you a marvelous job. I haven't liked most of the documentaries about Afghanistan because they seem like random footage shot by foreigners. Yours was accurate, honest and with a focus.
AM: Thank you. That means a lot.

YR: What's next for you?
AM: I'm studying narrative film making at the University.