Saving Mes Aynak follows Afghan archaeologist Qadir Temori as he races against time to save a 5,000-year-old archaeological site in Afghanistan from imminent demolition. A Chinese state-owned mining company is closing in on the ancient site, eager to harvest $100 billion dollars worth of copper buried directly beneath the archaeological ruins.

Saving Mes Aynak has won over 30 major awards and has been broadcast on television in over 70 countries. In the decade since the film’s creation, the efforts to save Mes Aynak continued. In 2024, after 16 years of delays, the Taliban and Beijing turned back to the project with the construction of a road to the mine, inaugurating the possible restart of the Mes Aynak mine project.

South Asia Institute is proud to present an updated version of the film. Following screening, artist Shaurya Kumar will conduct an interview with director Brent E. Huffman on the immense cultural significance of artifacts, and their impending destruction due to political and economic factors. Q&A to follow..