The Last Ambassador
(Austria, 80 min.)
Dir. Natalie Halla
Programme: Persister (North American Premiere)
In the early 2000s, Afghanistan and the Taliban dominated headlines following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. For a decade, we were constantly fed reports of the war and America’s invasion, and subsequent occupation, of the country until 2021 when then-President Joe Biden announced the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country.
Since then, other news stories dominated headlines: the COVID-19 pandemic, domestic politics of America, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and most recently, the ever-waging Israel-Palestine conflict.
In her latest film, Austrian filmmaker Natalie Halla re-shines a spotlight on the ongoing issues inside the once-again Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, particularly on the changes experienced by women and girls since the power shift. Following Manizha Bakhtari, touted the “last female ambassador” of Afghanistan, Halla makes a firm case for why our attention as the general public, and the efforts by the international community, must return to the country.
The Last Ambassador offers an intimate look into Bakhatri’s work, philosophy, and life. Currently based in Austria where she serves as ambassador — in spite of the Taliban’s rejection of her position and status — Bakhatri’s Daughters program sits at the heart of her activism, demonstrating the challenges Afghan girls currently face and her hope for the future.
The programme, run by Bakhatri and her closest friends and colleagues, seeks to sponsor and educate girls in Afghanistan whose education has been halted by Taliban rule. Through regular video chats, Bakhatri tests their knowledge and encourages them to continue with their self-study. Undercutting Bakhtari’s efforts is her belief that the Taliban will cease power in the next five to ten years, a sentiment her husband, Naser Hotaki, doesn’t share.
Halla alternates between the past and present, providing a thoughtful historical context for the challenges Bakhtari faces as a diplomat. It also aids in explaining Hotaki’s pessimism.
It’s not to say, though, that Bakhtari’s hope for the future comes from a place of naïveté. The Last Ambassador tells the story of a woman who loves her country and saw women thrive when given the opportunity, such that Bakhtari’s five-to-ten-year belief is rooted in hope — a hope that motivates her to continue her work, despite the constant threats she receives and road blocks put in her way.
The most moving piece of The Last Ambassador comes from the focus on Bakhtari’s father, renowned Afghan poet Wasef Bakhtari. The ambassador shares words her father bestowed upon her, empowering her as a young woman to not simply accept the societal rhetoric that she is somehow less-than for being a woman.
Wasef Bakhtari passed away in 2023 and was buried in California where he had been residing after fleeing from Afghanistan the late ’90s. Speaking at his funeral, Bakhtari tearfully remarked upon their family’s inability to fulfill Wasef’s wish to be laid to rest in his homeland. This personal moment speaks to the profound effect the Taliban has had on the country.
The Last Ambassador presses upon the missteps of the sudden American retreat from Afghanistan, and the wider international community’s lack of response, a point that resonates particularly loudly in today’s political climate. As citizens of the world, we are undoubtedly stronger together than apart, and a crisis as dire as the current state of Afghanistan should be all of our problems — especially for countries who arguably created this mess to begin with.
At the 2023 Vienna conference for a democratic Afghanistan, one speaker at a roundtable stated: “The world is only able to tackle one crisis at a time. Afghanistan is no longer making headlines, therefore we think everything’s fine.”
Films like The Last Ambassador and last year’s The Sharp Edge of Peace unequivocally prove that everything is not fine, and it is incumbent upon us to do what we can, whether it’s raising awareness, protesting, or writing to our Members of Parliament.
