THE LAST AMBASSADOR

A film by Natalie Halla
Feature Documentary  |  80 min |  AT  2025
A co-production with Natalie Halla

DISTRIBUTION

WORLD
THE PARTY FILM SALES

AUSTRIA
FILMLADEN

SYNOPSIS

The Afghan ambassador in Vienna, Manizha Bakhtari, has found herself in a bizarre situation since the Taliban took power: she represents a country whose old government has fled and whose new Taliban government is not recognized internationally. Despite financial and logistical isolation, Manizha Bakhtari is defying the Taliban to continue her fight for the rights of Afghan women and girls as an ambassador. Through her ‘Daughters’ programme, she enables secret education to Afghan schoolgirls while organising political resistance against the Taliban as an ambassador. Under increasingly difficult conditions, she becomes one of the most important international spokespersons for the women of Afghanistan, true to her motto ‘peace is not the absence of war, but the presence of justice’.

PRESS RELATIONS

IMDB

FESTIVALS

CPH:DOX, COPENHAGEN 2025
Fact:Award

HOT DOCS, TORONTO 2025
Persister

CROSSING EUROPE, LINZ 2025
Local Artists

BIOGRAFILM, BOLOGNA 2025

SEVIL INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL, BAKU 2025

AWARDS

HOT DOCS 2025
Top 20 Audience Favorite

BIOGRAFILM '25
Special Mention in International Competition

QUOTES

“This portrait of a quiet but not silent activist who works at her own risk is highly recommended for anyone who values civil courage for social and political causes.”
- PROFIL

“In this gripping documentary, filmmaker Natalie Halla observes the daily life of diplomat Manizha Bakhtari, who works tirelessly for women's rights in Afghanistan.”
- KURIER

“A gripping, unvarnished film about dignity and resistance.”
- OBERÖSTERREICHISCHE NACHRICHTEN

“At a time when their reality has once again been relegated to the archives of distant conflicts by the Western community, Halla's documentary serves as an urgent cry for help.”
- DER STANDARD

"A documentary that demands to be seen as soon as you can"
- CREATIVE CINEMATIC COLLECTION

"A testament to resilience, captivating"
- OVERLY HONEST REVIEWS

"A rare glimpse of hope in dark times"
- DIRTY MOVIES

INFO

RUNNING TIME – 80 minutes
ORIGINAL LANGUAGES – Dari, English
SUBTITLES – English, German
LOCATIONS – Austria, Afghanistan, Canada, Tajikistan, United States
SHOOTING FORMAT – various, mainly Digital 2K
SCREENING FORMAT – DCP 2K, DCI Flat
ASPECT RATIO – 1.85:1
SOUND FORMAT – 5.1
PICTURES/SEC – 25

CREW

DIRECTOR                 
Natalie Halla

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Natalie Halla
Judith Benedikt, AAC
Jordan Bryon

EDITOR           
Birgit Foerster

NARRATIVE BY
Jordan Bryon
Birgit Foerster

DRAMATURGICAL ADVISOR
Arash T. Riahi

MUSIC                      
Karwan Marouf

PRODUCERS
Peter Drössler
Arash T. Riahi
Sabine Gruber
Natalie Halla

PARTNERS