Out of the Ashes

Against a backdrop of war and poverty, Out of the Ashes, traces the extraordinary journey of a team of young, Afghan men, as they chase a seemingly impossible dream, shedding new light on a nation beyond that of burqas, bombs, drugs and devastation. This feature-length documentary follows the Afghan cricket team in their quest against the odds to qualify for the 2011 World Cup, premiering at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on 17th June. Backed by BBC Storyville and Oscar-winning director and cricket fan, Sam Mendes, 'Out of the Ashes' follows the squad over two years as they go from playing in their shalwar-kameezes on rubble pitches to batting their way around the globe and up the international league tables.

• Leslie KnottDirector
• Lucy MartensDirector
• Tim AlboneDirector
• Andrew PhillipsOriginal Music Composer

• Karim SaddiqHimself - The Big Hitter
• Hasti Gul AbidHimself - The Joker
• Gulbadin NaibHimself - The Rookie
• Taj Malik AlamHimself - The Coach
• Nawrouz MangaHimself - The Captain
• Shahzada MasoudHimself - The President