A fascinating journey to find the mysterious "Afghan Girl" whose haunting gaze captivated the world
The search for the mysterious “Afghan Girl,” whose haunting, green-eyed gaze captivated the world in a NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC magazine cover photograph, takes EXPLORER on a world-wide journey in an attempt to solve the case of a missing person. In January 2002, photographer Steve McCurry, who took the 1984 photograph and has been searching for the girl ever since, traveled to Pakistan with a National Geographic EXPLORER team to search one last time. The refugee camp where the original encounter took place was about to be demolished. War in Afghanistan continues. The plight of refugees there and in Pakistan is worsening. Has the “Afghan Girl” survived? With a lot of detective work and a little luck, the EXPLORER team, together with McCurry, finds a woman who could be the “Afghan Girl.” How can they confirm that this is the same person as the child photographed nearly 20 years ago? National Geographic uses several methods, including state of the art iris recognition, the FBI facial recognition techniques and the technology used by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Sigourney Weaver narrates.
The search for the mysterious “Afghan Girl,” whose haunting, green-eyed gaze captivated the world in a NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC magazine cover photograph, takes EXPLORER on a world-wide journey in an attempt to solve the case of a missing person. In January 2002, photographer Steve McCurry, who took the 1984 photograph and has been searching for the girl ever since, traveled to Pakistan with a National Geographic EXPLORER team to search one last time. The refugee camp where the original encounter took place was about to be demolished. War in Afghanistan continues. The plight of refugees there and in Pakistan is worsening. Has the “Afghan Girl” survived? With a lot of detective work and a little luck, the EXPLORER team, together with McCurry, finds a woman who could be the “Afghan Girl.” How can they confirm that this is the same person as the child photographed nearly 20 years ago? National Geographic uses several methods, including state of the art iris recognition, the FBI facial recognition techniques and the technology used by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Sigourney Weaver narrates.
Wow, this is a truly amazing documentary and story. Steve McCurry is going to be lecturing at our University here this Thursday, and I am so glad that I looked him up and found this documentary. Like so many people, I grew up being so familiar with his photo. To now see her found again and to know her story is amazing.
Posted 09/09/09 by Maria
KrisRaah, how does it make America vain that the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan? And then the Taliban moved in and filled a void? And Pakistan had a hand at bolstering the Taliban? How does that make America arrogant? War is monstrous, but please don’t lose focus.
The story is so touching. Just wonderful.
Posted 09/05/09 by Anna
Superb documentary. The woman’s face has aged but her eyes have remained the same....still mysterious and beautiful.
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