The 40-minute documentary is directed by Raeesa Khan, who majored in political science and philosophy, and edited by Andrew Protsko, who majored in mass communications/telecomm. The documentary parallels the history of Pakistan with the life of Raeesa Khan’s father, Saleem Khan, BU professor of economics and a native of Pakistan.
The film includes an interview with Khan’s uncle, who was held as a political prisoner at the notorious Lahore Fort after a coup in 1970s. Raeesa Khan also interviews Fatima Bhutto, niece of the late Pakistani leader and politician Benazir Bhutto.
Raeesa Khan explains that the title of the documentary is a reference to Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” from “The Republic,” in which prisoners see shadows on the wall that they mistake for reality. In Plato’s allegory, one prisoner escapes only to find the shadows are not real. When he returns to tell his former comrades, they do not believe him.
“By making this documentary,” she said, “I’m coming out of my ‘cave’ and trying to make sense of Pakistan’s history.”
The documentary also touches on the efforts of Saleem Khan and his brother to build schools in Pakistan. The Khans have funded the construction of several literacy centers, which offer day and evening classes to accommodate the schedules of children who must work. The brothers have also supported construction of a high school, which is nearing completion.
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