Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV
Saifullah and Ismail Haqmal are two brother interpreters who served alongside U.S. Forces in Afghanistan for over a decade. “Interpreters Wanted” follows the brothers from their childhood growing up during the Russian/Afghan war, through the Taliban era, and then the invasion by NATO forces after 9/11. When Army veteran and documentarian Robert Ham deployed to Afghanistan in 2009, he worked with Saifullah and Ismail and became close friends. After Ham’s unit left Afghanistan, the brothers became desperate to escape. They turned to their American friends to petition Congress and help them escape the Taliban’s rise to power.
Directed by Robert Ham
Starting on November 10, KPBS will present “Military Stories Week.” An extension of the annual GI Film Festival San Diego (GIFFSD), Military Stories Week will include a concert special plus local stories and documentaries that were featured over the years at GIFFSD. With nine different titles, there’s plenty of ways to honor our nation's veterans through film.
Watch these stories on KPBS TV or stream them with the PBS app.
GIFFSD returns May 7-9, 2025 with an all-new lineup of films. Submissions are welcome though November 11. For information, visit GIFilmFestivalSD.org.
