documentary films. There is no shortage of factual commissions but that is quite different. I think this shows a great lack of courage on the part of the broadcasters and a slavish adherence to the flawed idea that TV must provide only what 'the audience wants'. So, there was never any doubt in my mind that 'The Boy who Plays on the Buddhas of Bamiyan' would be made first and foremost at cinema length, for cinema distribution. It's a risk as distribution is hard to secure but certainly the festival circuit is very active and rewarding. Television is very transitory - one's films air then may never be seen again - whereas theatrical documentaries have a much greater life and, for the director, a much greater interaction with the audience. 'The Boy..' will make the most of both worlds and, in doing so, hopefully attract the greatest attention to Mir and the 25-30 million refugee children like him worldwide.

9. Were there any difficulties involved with filming in Afghanistan?

The British Foreign Office were quite clear: don't go. And, if you do go, don't travel beyond Kabul. With that in mind, we did take issues of security and safety seriously. I had both specialist medical and security briefings - and talked to as many people as possible who had recent experience of working in the country. On arrival in Afghanistan, I was surprised on the one hand by the destruction