“Kids on the Silk Road”, Season 3, Episode 1: Girls with Goals 

Leeza (12), who lives high up in the mountains in northern Pakistan, dreams of becoming a good footballer so she can be selected to play for the new league team, win a scholarship and see the world. At night Leeza gazes up at the stars and talks to her departed father about her dreams. But there is just one problem: Leeza is not very good at football. In fact, she is really quite bad, and the other girls on the local football team don’t want to pass the ball to her. But Leeza’s younger sister, Leena (11), promises to help. Together, the two sisters start training hard in the steep rocky hills, so Leeza can improve her football skills – and just maybe – be chosen to play for the new league team.

“Kids on the Silk Road” is a series about children between the ages of 11 and 14, from 15 countries along the old silk route. Each story shows how the individual child deals with life’s challenges, big and small, which they face in their specific cultural and social contexts. The stories are both authentic and easy to relate to because the main character tells you their own stories. Although the stories presented in the documentaries are small, they revolve around big universally recognizable themes such as love for animals, sports, developing your talents, realizing your dreams, finding yourself, and disagreeing with parents – part of every child’s life.

Directors: Anam Abbas and Camilla Magid
Cinematographer: Anam Abbas

Production Company: Toolbox Film

Arte Kids 2023