Gateway

Issue date: 12/4/07 Section: News

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Thanks to a joint effort by Paramount Pictures, the Afghanistan Relief Organization and the UNO Center for Afghan Studies, Omaha was one of two cities chosen to pre-screen The Kite Runner.

The film is an adaptation of Khaled Hosseini's best-selling novel and opened in Omaha and Los Angeles last weekend. Omaha's screening was held Sunday at the Cinema Center, located at 2828 S. 82nd Ave.

The Kite Runner is based on a childhood friendship between two boys growing up in an ethnically turbulent Kabul, Afghanistan.

In a pivotal scene, Hassan, a Hazara child played by Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada, is raped in an alley by a Pashtun bully played by Zekiria Ebrahimi.

The scene caused fear of a backlash in the Middle East. Due to possible threats, the children starring in the film were relocated for the opening of the movie, according to a report in The New York Times.

However, amidst the controversy, the movie has already received widespread praise.

Early screening tickets were available through the UNO Center for Afghan Studies.

Dean of International Studies and Programs, Tom Gouttierre, also spoke before the movie, sharing his experiences with the director of the movie, Marc Forster. Gouttierre said Forster believed "the movie was true to the story," and true to its people.

Gouttierre said he hoped people would be moved by the movie to consider becoming host families for Middle Eastern foreign exchange students.

Paramount Pictures delayed the movie's release for six weeks to allow the actors to be relocated. Widespread release is set for Dec. 14.

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