Farina, Ron In Sha Allah, If God Wills It

The Real-Life Story of an Afghan Combat Interpreter

The story of Abdul Atah Wahedi, his unwavering faith in Islam, his love for his family, and his service as a combat interpreter with U.S. Special Forces and Navy SEALs during the war in Afghanistan. It begins in the 400-year-old village of Mata in the Panjir Valley and spans more than three decades. From Abdul's earliest memories, through his brother's drowning in the Panjir River, the ten-year Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and his family's escape to the caves of the Hindu Kush mountains, to his life on the battlefield, his marriage, and finally, his escape to the United States. Wounded twice in service to America, Abdul is one of America's unsung heroes, yet to the Taliban, he is known as the "Voice of the Infidels." When the U.S. began withdrawing from Afghanistan, Abdul, hunted by the Taliban, was forced to flee with his wife and family. His escape was further complicated by the closure of the U.S. embassy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Just days before his SIV visa and his family's visas were due to expire, the mother of Abdul's former superior officer intervened. Abdul had been wounded in the attack that killed her son, a captain in the special forces. Working with an American senator, she organized Abdul's dramatic escape to America with his wife and childrenthey escaped at the last minute. This film offers a glimpse into the fascinatingly simple way of life in the most remote villages of Afghanistan, into the heroic life of an Afghan man, and his service to America.