Documentary Hazara Town Secured Festival Selection
The film will premiere in the International Competition at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Documentary
The documentary Hazara Town has earned an official selection for the International Competition at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. Directed by Khadim Dai, the film chronicles the lives of a Hazara family living in Pakistan.
Why it matters
The documentary, formerly titled Life in the Shadows, provides an intimate look at the experiences of a family who fled Afghanistan two decades ago. It explores themes of displacement and persecution through the lens of a single family's long-term residency in exile.
The production received financial backing from the Sundance Documentary Fund, the IDFA Bertha Fund, and the Close Up Initiative. The film tracks the subjects over a period of 20 years since they originally left Afghanistan.
The players
Khadim Dai
Khadim Dai is the director of the documentary film Hazara Town.
Ilyas Yourish
Ilyas Yourish is a producer who worked on the development and completion of Hazara Town.
Graeme Isaac
Graeme Isaac is a producer involved in the creation of the documentary.
Anke Petersen
Anke Petersen is one of the producers for the documentary project.
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam
This organization hosts a major annual event dedicated to the exhibition of documentary films.
The details
Blending personal moments with broader sociopolitical context, the film examines the ongoing impact of displacement on a Hazara family. The project was produced by a team including Ilyas Yourish, Graeme Isaac, and Anke Petersen.
Timeline
October 14, 2026: The film news was published.
20 years: The time elapsed since the family fled Afghanistan.
Industry Dynamics
The film joins an increasingly competitive landscape of festival-bound documentaries that highlight long-term migration narratives. By securing a spot in the International Competition, the project strengthens its position within the global circuit of prestige non-fiction cinema.
Viewers interested in the film can look for screening information on the upcoming festival schedule in Amsterdam. Future availability outside of the festival circuit will depend on subsequent distribution deals secured by the production team.
The takeaway
The selection of this documentary highlights the ongoing cinematic focus on the long-term realities faced by displaced families. Audiences can follow major documentary festivals to discover stories that bridge intimate family history with significant geopolitical shifts.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest developments in Documentary filmmaking.
