Bamiyan or elsewhere - who either gave nothing or, worse, promised to help but didn't. A week or so into the first shoot, a delegation came to me and asked what exactly I was bringing to the community. I had brought childrens' clothes, food and money as well as my normal film-makers spiel about 'letting the world see how you live'. I didn't distribute anything until my last day (on each trip) and of course that did create a stir because I couldn't leave gifts with every family. So yes there was a growing undercurrent of jealousy towards Mir's family. They were very wise to keep their gifts hidden. On the last trip I made a donation to the girls school as, in theory, that would help everyone. In some ways, it is remarkable no-one ever tried to rob me, assault me or intimidate me in any way - they knew I was, in their terms, carrying a fortune on me. It is testimony to their innate humanity and decency that I was treated with great kindness and dignity. As a footnote, Mir suffered a bit of ribbing at school - some accused him of being 'son of a foreigner' - but he, as the film shows, can look after himself.

5. How did your presence influence the story?

This occupied my thoughts a great deal during the filming and indeed the production as a whole. I don't believe in the idea that a film-maker can be present in a limited environment - such as Mir's cave - and simply observe