Movie Review: Hollywoodgate
Screened at El Gouna Film Festival 2023
One-liner: A bold, entertaining, unsettling, thought-provoking and unprecedented fly-on-the-wall war documentary and cautionary tale.
Hollywoodgate is a curious title for a documentary about the Taliban in Afghanistan. As is the case with many documentaries, filmmakers begin their journey with one concept and end up telling an entirely different story in adapting to the organic flow of where that project takes them. When bold and intrepid journalist Ibrahim Nash’at wasn’t able to continue with his original piece he suddenly realised that another concept had risen up in its place, taking the stage as the director of this eye-opening war documentary. This was Hollywood Gate I, the name given to a complex claimed to be a former CIA base in Kabul. A strong idealistic contrast, he somehow managed to get the opportunity to film a high-ranking figure behind-the-scenes.
This thought-provoking fly-on-the-wall documentary is co-written by Shane Boris, Talal Derki and Ibrahim Nash’at. While sparse in terms of narration, it’s Nash’at who bookends the film to explain his presence and offer some wisdom based on his experience. An eye witness account in one sense, Nash’at pops up infrequently in the documentary to remind us of the fine line he tread to bring this story to life. It’s a curious result, finding enough intimacy with the subjects to humanise and disarm them.
Hollywoodgate isn’t about gratuitous shock value, opting to avoid the trauma of conflict scenarios. Understandably Nash’at was treated as an insurgent from the get-go, making his paranoid subjects ever conscious of his precarious position. Not being allowed to film certain discoveries, such as sabotaged planes, the Taliban leader does make certain allowances… mostly in showing their militant strength.
“It may become found footage documentary.”
Shot after the US pulled out of Afghanistan, Hollywoodgate sets about chronicling this faction of the Taliban, getting an insider’s perspective on their attempts to salvage billions of dollars worth of medicine, machinery and weaponry. Stumbling onto a miltary gold mine in the Hollywood Gate complex in Kabul, the film shows their means to recover and upskill in order to get maximum leverage from what’s left behind. In doing so, the documentary ranges from quietly terrifying moments to more humourous touches. This see-sawing effect and comic relief adds texture and keeps the eye witness story entertaining as Nash’at relays what he’s seen.
Hollywoodgate has some intriguing revelations and is filled with amazing footage, which must have been condensed from 220 hours of footage. A window into the consequences of a turning point with dire effects, the documentary also serves as cautionary tale. As the new regime gain greater traction, attracting the attention of other countries with similar ambitions, the amusing undertone is substituted with a sense of deep concern. From its social commentary on their interpretation of Sharia law, constant flow of propaganda and growing paranoia over traitors within their ranks to a show of military might, Hollywoodgate remains compelling and entertaining.
The chilling and unprecedented war documentary relies heavily on its behind-closed-doors concept, capturing some incredible moments. A brave undertaking, the soft focus messaging does dissipate some of the raw impact value. Candid in its approach and ranging from dread to hilarity, it’s a sobering reminder of the cyclical nature of war, which continually serves as a catalyst for more bloodshed. Coaxing the humanity out of these hardened Taliban fighters, the film is equally adept at suggesting that anyone dismissing their growth and expansive influence does so at their own peril.
The bottom line: Thought-provoking
