'An Unfinished Journey' celebrates North American premiere at Hot Docs

When the Taliban come to power in Afghanistan in 2021,four women three former Members of Parliament and a journalist were stripped of their positions and their rights overnight.

They've since resettled in Canada.

An Unfinished Journeyshares their stories.

"They're strong, they're incredible, but they're also welcoming and warm and lovely and they showed such a resilience," said Toronto-based co-directorAeyliya Husain.

Husain says the film sheds light on how heartbroken the women are to be separated from their families,and for those they've left behind.

Despite what they've been through, the women continue to mobilize and raise awareness.

Husain hopes the film encourages more people including national and international leaders to recognize the oppression these women are facing.

"If we allow a country and a regime like the Taliban to strip half a population of their human rights and no one does anything, what makes us think that's not going to happen in another country?" Husain said.

An Unfinished Journey is playingFriday, April 26at 2 p.m. at the TIFF Bell LightboxandSaturday, April 27 at 10 a.m. at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema.