The band, District Unknown put themselves in the firing line to challenge freedom of expression, youth identity and conflict with culture.
We get a glimpse into the lives of young people living in the aftermath of absolute destruction and chaos, that is Afghanistan. A glimpse into the fire that ignites a young band to play music together and connect with other youth. A glimpse into the underground expat party scene, at odds with the conservative and fundamentalist society in Kabul, Afghanistan.
This is a documentary about Afghanistan’s first metal band, District Unknown, that existed on the fringes of Afghan society and beyond comprehension of conservative Islam. While living in Afghanistan for seven years, Australian filmmaker Travis Beard began recording his friends to chronicle a part of Afghan life that is rarely shown in Western media. The film features never before seen footage of Kabul and the underground party scene that existed on the precipitous of this fragile city. To challenge conflict with culture, District Unknown literally put themselves and their followers in the firing line. They became targets because their music connected and communicated to and with Afghan youth, the expat community in Afghanistan and internationally. We watch as the five unassuming young men: Qais, Pedram, Qasem, Lemar and Yousef come of age and deal with identity and freedom in a place where both can get you killed
Travis Beard is an Australian filmmaker and photo journalist who has lived and worked in Kabul, Afghanistan for 8 years. This is Travis’ first feature documentary and will soon be followed by another Screen Australia funded film, THE AFGHAN BUG.
ROCKABUL premiered at the 2018 Sydney Film Festival and the 2019 Australian International Documentary Conference at ACMI in Melbourne and has since played a myriad of festivals all over the world.
Sharm El Sheik International Film Festival – Egypt
Diorama Film Festival – India
Heildelberg International Film Festival– Germany
Rokumentti – Finland
Braunschweig International Film Festival – Germany
Doc n Roll – UK Premiere
Verona Film Festival -Italy
34th Warsaw Film Festival – Poland Premiere
Slash Film Festival– Vienna – Austrian Premiere
African Premiere – Festival Wave Rock Weekender Festival – Western Australia
Off Cinema– Lago dei Cigni – Florence, Italy
Soundtrack Festival– Cologne – Germany Premiere
Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival – Asian PREMIERE
Revelation International Film Festival –Perth Australia
River film Festival, Padua, Italy
NordicDocs, Trondheim, Norway
Melbourne Q&As.
Cinema Nova, Melbourne Tuesday 14th May 7pm with Director Travis Beard
Lido Hawthorn, Melbourne Sun 19th May 4pm with Director Travis Beard & Lead vocalist Lemar
Thornbury Picture House, Melbourne TBC with Director, Travis Beard
Pivotonian, Geelong Wed 22nd May 6pm with Director Travis Beard
Theatre Royal, Castlemaine Sun 16th JUNE, 5pm with Director Travis Beard
