The events which took place in Southern Afghanistan on September 6, 2006 - known by members of the British Armed Forces as "The Day of Days" - are harrowingly recreated in Kajaki. The True Story. The film is a superb examination of the realities of war; a fitting tribute to the courage of those involved and a life-affirming insight into the power of friendship and the resilience of the human spirit.
While on a mission to disable a Taliban roadblock, soldiers from the British Army's 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (3 Para) became trapped in an old Soviet minefield. The only way out was by helicopter and the crisis rapidly escalated. Your immersion in the men's story is absolute.
Rather than recount what transpired through the eyes of one character, director Paul Katis' film is an ensemble piece, the viewer's emotional attachment to each soldier established right from the start and becoming stronger by the minute. The tension is truly unnerving, with even the slightest movement on-screen filling you with terror. It's a masterclass in humility, and a film that really does leave a mark on the heart.
Read our interview with director Paul Katis here.
Harry Guerin
Kajaki. The True Story is showing at Omniplex cinemas nationwide from March 13.
