BOOK LAUNCH AND PUBLIC INTERVIEW WITH LANA SLEZIC

date 6 October location Der Aa-Kerk time 4 PM entrance festivalticket

Emile Fallaux, editor in chief of Vrij Nederland, speaks with Lana Slezic and Farzana Wahidy in a public interview. (English)

For two years (2004-2006) Lana Slezic documented the lives of women in Afghanistan after the expulsion of the Taliban. What she encountered did not square with the picture the Western media were painting of schools for girls, streets free of burkas and women who were no longer oppressed. On the contrary: from her travels through the country and conversations that she had with women as she moved around, it became clear that Afghanistan was still a ruthless tribal state in which, certainly outside Kabul, women and girls were the foremost victims. Slezic's series Forsaken tells the story that they themselves cannot tell.

The launch of the book will take place in the presence of Lana Slezic. As a very special extra, Farzana Wahidy, her translator/intermediary in Afghanistan Farzana will also be present. After two years of collaboration and many shared experiences they have become good friends and a help and stay for one another.
Inspired by Lana's work, Farzana decided she too wanted to study phtography. Lana arranged a visum to Canada for her and a place at the academy there and at the end of August 2007 Farzana left Afghanistan in secret and without her family knowing about it.

Photojournalist Lana Slezic (b. 1973, Canada) has published in newspapers and periodicals such as The Sunday Times, Paris Match and The New York Times. Her first photo book Forsaken is published by Mets & Schilt.

Forsaken is for sale at the Aa-kerk. Lana Slzic will sign your copy after the interview.