one would be forced to think of the future of Afghanistan rather than solely its past. Partly because he may get up to all sorts of mischief that we could all identify with and understand. Partly because he would appeal to children and adults alike in cinemas and on TV screens worldwide. Mir, for me, represents and illustrates much more than just one life in central Afghanistan - he contains so much of childhood around the globe. His world is much more common than the wealthy upbringing that most western children enjoy. Finally, I chose Mir because he made me smile and I wanted the film to contain humour - because, despite everything, most Afghans I met were upbeat, lively and frequently funny.

4. Did focusing on Mir cause any problems within the community?

Naturally I feared that my focus on him and his family would cause them problems. The community at first simply labelled me a 'western aid worker’. They became confused when morning after morning there I would be, walking up the path to the caves, lugging my gear with me. Most eventually understood what I was doing and hoped it would somehow help get their story - as a community - to a wide audience. But, needless to say, there were those who wanted something from me there and then. They had seen journalists before - in