Well, I can’t say this is terribly surprising. The government of Afghanistan has banned the distribution and the exhibition of The Kite Runner in the country, telling The Hollywood Reporter “some of its scenes are questionable and unacceptable for some people and would cause sensitiveness and would cause trouble for the government and people."
The movie caused an uproar over here a few months ago, when the two child stars were forced to evacuate the country when they feared for their lives based on what was seen in the film. Specifically they were concerned about a scene in which a young boy gets raped; in Afghan culture a rape victim is made to feel ashamed and is ostracized, even if the event is fictional. The boys and their families were afraid that once other people in Afghanistan saw the movie, their safety would be compromised.
Paramount Vantage can’t really say that they’re disappointed that Afghanistan won’t allow the film, since a wide release could endanger the boys all over again even though they’re safely in the U.S. But given the roaring black market in the country, odds are plenty of people will get to see The Kite Runner anyway. It seems the saga for these boys is still not over, and it will be a while before they or their families can really assume they’ve made it out of the experience unscathed. With soldiers still in Afghanistan trying to win hearts and minds, this is just another way we’ve managed to shoot ourselves in the foot.
