"The secret service asked to see my footage. I left the same day"...
The Observer commissioned Phil Fisk to capture these compelling portraits of documentary-maker Ibrahim Nash'at, who was embedded with the Taliban after US forces fled Kabul in 2021, whilst creating his fly-on-the-wall documentary, Hollywoodgate.
Described as “a darkly comic, damning insight into the regime", this astonishing documentary has been a hit at film festivals - featuring scenes of the Taliban exploring some of the “$7bn worth of equipment left behind in Afghanistan when the US made its hasty departure … everything from tactical fighter jets and M16 rifles, to a fully equipped gym and a fridge loaded with Jägermeister and Johnnie Walker Red Label.”
As always, Phil captures thoughtful and beautifully poignant portraits of his sitter.
In the words of Ibrahim, "The power of the camera I’m holding is as strong as the weapon they hold in their hands, maybe even much stronger."