Warrior Poets

This book is the back story to, and the story of the making of the movie ‘Son of a Lion', which won moderate fame (albeit mostly in Australia) featuring at the Belgium Film Festival, picking up a ‘Film Critics Circle of Australia Award' and an ‘Inside Film Award'.
On a visit to Darra Adam Khel, in Pakistan, Australian film maker (so not really until he made his film) Benjamin Gilmour wanted to make a film that would combat negative Western perceptions of Pashtuns and Muslims following the 11 September attacks. He carried on his travels to the UK, where he developed his script under the name ‘The Bullet Boy'.
Returning in 2005, he commenced setting up and establishing a network of contacts to be in a position to make his film. With a lot of work, and help from various people, and without a permit to enter Darra and the federally administered tribal lands, he began shooting his film.
Without spoiling too much, there were many challenges to the filming, the script was pretty much thrown out, and much of the success of the film was due to the commitment and assistance granted by Gilmour's close friends and the Pashtun people.
The book is simply, but well written, and show-cases the people of Darra and the tribal lands around Darra where the movie takes place. A really good read, which manages to tell its own story and educate about the culture and the traditions of the Pashtun people.