Afghan “Rule Breakers” Make Their Way to the UK Parliament
The film Rule Breakers, which tells the story of Afghanistan’s girls’ robotics team, was screened on Thursday, September 4, at a special session in the UK Parliament.
At this special event, Alice McDonald, Member of Parliament, Roya Mahboob, founder of the Afghan girls’ robotics team, Peymaneh Asad, a member of Harrow Council in London, Bill Guttentag, the film’s director, and several of the main actors participated in a panel discussion.
Directed by Bill Guttentag, Rule Breakers highlights the inspiring story of Afghanistan’s girls’ robotics team, who, despite social pressures and restrictions, managed to shine on the global stage and compete in international robotics competitions.
Roya Mahboob said about the film: “The film is important because it shows that Afghan girls are not merely victims of violence and difficult circumstances—they have leadership abilities and creativity. The film doesn’t focus solely on the past; it looks more toward the future.”
Alice McDonald also emphasized the importance of women’s rights, saying: “Anyone who cares about women’s rights cannot ignore the situation of women in Afghanistan. The issues facing Afghan women cannot be overlooked.”
The Afghan girls’ robotics team was established in Herat in 2017 by Roya Mahboob and won multiple awards in international competitions. After the Taliban came to power in 2021, team members were forced to leave the country and have continued their work in countries including the United States, Canada, and Qatar.
