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 became 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.
CREW:
Director: Natalie Halla
Producer: Peter Drossler, Arash T. Riahi, Sabine Gruber, Natalie Halla
Cinematographer: Natalie Halla, Judith Benedikt, AAC Jordan Bryon
Editor: Birgit Foerster
Sound: Andras Hamza, Tong Zhang
Production
Sales:
Director
Natalie Halla
Natalie Halla, born in Linz (Austria), studied law and translation (Russian, Spanish) at Karl-Franzens University of Graz. After several years of studies and job assignments in Russia, Israel, Spain, Peru and France, she started her career as an independent documentary film maker, for which she gained her skills as an autodidact.
Since 2010 she has directed and produced nine award winning feature length documentaries, mainly focused on human interests stories and fundamental rights. Natalie Halla has given Masterclasses and been no minated jury member in several international film festivals. Selected Filmography
The Last Ambassador (2025), The Shamans’ Nightmare (2021), Nowhere (2018), Life In Four Elements (2017), Children Of The Forest (2015), The Heir Of Liszt (2014), Separated (2012), Gaelle (2011), Drugmothers (2010) 
