Selling Kabul

Growing up in Iran, I often encountered Afghan refugees in our neighborhoods and cities. We shared language, religion, and many traditions, yet they remained among the quietest and most marginalized people around us. I sensed the weight they carried, but I never fully understood it. Selling Kabul asked me to look more closely. I approached the production through what I called “the fight between life and what stops life”: the small, everyday acts that keep life moving—making tea, laughing, remembering, loving, and hoping for a new child—even under the pressure of war and fear. I wanted the apartment to feel like a sanctuary as danger slowly pressed in, so audiences would not view this family from a distance, but recognize their humanity, dignity, and determination to protect one another.