Prominent Afghan director Roya Sadat has voiced her frustration after being denied entry into Saudi Arabia to present her film "Sima's Song" at the Red Sea Film Festival. Despite holding a valid Saudi visa, Sadat was barred from boarding her flight due to the country's refusal to accept Afghan passports issued after the Taliban's return to power.
Scheduled to travel to Jeddah on December 3, Sadat expressed her disbelief, questioning the logic of issuing visas for passports that are not accepted. "This raises a key question: if such passports are not accepted, why issue visas in the first place?" she stated.
Sadat highlighted the irony of the situation, noting that Taliban officials, including a U.S.-designated terrorist, have been granted entry into Saudi Arabia while she, an artist, was denied. "I considered withdrawing my film in protest, but decided against it out of respect for my cast and crew already in Jeddah," she explained.
"Sima's Song," which explores the lives of a wealthy Communist and a poor Muslim woman during Afghanistan's socialist transition, premiered at the Tokyo Film Festival last month. Sadat's journey reflects the challenges faced by Afghan filmmakers and the ongoing struggles for artistic freedom.