The Giant Buddhas

The Giant Buddhas (2005) is a documentary film by Swiss filmmaker Christian Frei about the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamyan in Afghanistan by the Taliban in March 2001.

The film premiered in August 2005 and was released in March 2006. The movie quotes local Afghans that the destruction was ordered by Osama bin Laden and that initially, Mullah Omar and the Afghans in Bamyan had opposed the destruction.

Awards and nominations

 * DOK Leipzig 2005: Silver Dove
 * Dokufest Prizren 2006: first prize ex aequo
 * Trento Film Festival 2006: Silver Gentian
 * Tahoe/Reno International Film Festival 2006: Best of the Fest - Documentary
 * Sundance Film Festival 2006: nominated for a Grand Jury Prize for World cinema-documentaries
 * Swiss Film Prize 2006: nominated for the Swiss Film Prize for Best Documentary
 * Toronto International Film Festival 2005: Official Selection