Movies - In the Hell of Kabul: 13 Days, 13 Nights — A Daring Cinematic Dive into a Modern Tragedy

By Mulder, 28 april 2025

In the Hell of Kabul: 13 Days, 13 Nights promises to be one of 2025’s most gripping and visceral cinematic events, retracing a human and diplomatic tragedy that unfolded live before the eyes of the world. Directed by Martin Bourboulon, the film adapts Mohamed Bida’s autobiographical account, 13 Days, 13 Nights in the Hell of Kabul, published in 2022. More than just a thriller, Martin Bourboulon envisioned the project from the start as "a dizzying plunge into the fall of Kabul, but also an immersion into the most intimate layers of this unique modern-day hero," according to his early interviews. With Roschdy Zem leading a stellar international cast and a production backed by industry giants Pathé Films and Chapter 2, this project is already shaping up as a rare blend of cinematic spectacle and profound emotional resonance. When the Taliban seized Kabul on August 15, 2021, the global media portrayed a nation’s collapse, but Bida’s personal story shines a light on the courage, improvisation, and humanity amidst absolute chaos, offering a deeply personal look at those tumultuous thirteen days and nights.

The genesis of this adaptation is almost as intense as the story it tells. The book was published in September 2022, and within mere weeks, the rights were snapped up by Pathé and Chapter 2 (part of the powerful Mediawan group), with Roschdy Zem quickly attached to portray Bida. For Martin Bourboulon, known for his deft touch on Eiffel and The Three Musketeers saga, this was a departure into grittier, more immediate storytelling. Filming started on May 20, 2024, in Casablanca, Morocco, a location chosen for its ability to double convincingly for the tumultuous streets of Kabul. Despite the logistical challenges of shooting such a tense action-drama in the searing Moroccan heat, Martin Bourboulon and his crew wrapped by August 3, 2024, an impressive feat given the scale and intensity required by the project. According to production anecdotes, Roschdy Zem insisted on performing many of his own stunts to authentically capture the exhausting physicality of Bida’s experience — even fainting once from dehydration during a particularly brutal 12-hour shoot under the desert sun.

Martin Bourboulon’s commitment to authenticity extends beyond the physical settings. The choice to shoot in both French and English mirrors the real linguistic dance faced by diplomats and soldiers on the ground during the 2021 evacuation. In this chaotic multilingual environment, words were weapons, shields, and sometimes, fragile lifelines. The screenplay, crafted by Martin Bourboulon himself alongside Alexandre Smia, reportedly leans into these tensions, emphasizing not only action but negotiation, miscommunication, and desperate hope. Guillaume Roussel’s musical score, known for its emotional layering in past films like 3 Days to Kill and Black Beauty, promises to underscore the nerve-racking atmosphere without overwhelming the human drama. Cinematographer Nicolas Bolduc, celebrated for his work on Enemy and War Witch, brings a textured, almost documentary-style approach to the visuals, capturing both the sprawling chaos of Kabul’s fall and the claustrophobic fear within the embassy’s walls.

The casting of Lyna Khoudri as Eva, a young Franco-Afghan humanitarian worker, marks a crucial emotional counterweight to Zem’s commanding presence. Lyna Khoudri, a rising star in international cinema after her standout roles in Papicha and The French Dispatch, reportedly prepared for the role by spending weeks interviewing real humanitarian workers and Afghan refugees. Her character, a composite based on several real figures Mohamed Bida worked with, embodies the moral ambiguities and deep emotional scars of those frantic days. Another interesting note: Sidse Babett Knudsen, well-known for her role in Borgen, brings an additional layer of gravitas as a French diplomat trapped by the rapidly shifting sands of Kabul’s political reality. These layered performances aim to honor the experiences of the hundreds who lived through those final days, many of whom, according to Mohamed Bida himself, "showed a heroism that will never make the news headlines."

When analyzing In the Hell of Kabul: 13 Days, 13 Nights in the context of contemporary cinema, it’s hard not to think about the resurgence of politically charged thrillers that blend real-world stakes with personal storytelling. Films like Zero Dark Thirty or Hotel Rwanda come to mind, but Martin Bourboulon’s project stands apart through its emphasis on a ground-level European perspective, an angle often overshadowed in American media coverage of Afghanistan. This is not about military triumphalism or defeat; it’s about survival, negotiation, and moral endurance. Early behind-the-scenes footage, teased in a few minutes of promotional material, shows tense, claustrophobic scenes where a single missed word or poorly timed move could mean death — a thematic emphasis that aligns closely with Mohamed Bida’s original written account, which stressed how "fear was constant, but paralysis was never an option."

As the film races toward its June 27, 2025, release date in France under the distribution banner of Pathé, anticipation is growing not only among cinephiles but among historians, political analysts, and humanitarian organizations. Some early test screenings, according to whispers from within Pathé, left audiences visibly shaken — but also deeply moved by the emotional power and ethical complexity presented. With a running time still officially unconfirmed, but insiders hinting it will hover around two hours, In the Hell of Kabul: 13 Days, 13 Nights looks set to offer a tight, relentless narrative that refuses to let the viewer look away. In an age when the nightly news cycle often reduces human suffering to brief soundbites, this film seems poised to bring back the faces, the decisions, and the unbearable weight of reality behind one of the 21st century’s most heartbreaking evacuations.

Synopsis :
Kabul, August 15, 2021. As American troops prepare to leave the country, the Taliban storm the capital and seize power. Amid the chaos, Commander Mohamed Bida and his men ensure the safety of the French embassy, which is still open. Trapped, Commander Bida decides to negotiate with the Taliban to organize a last-ditch convoy with the help of Eva, a young French-Afghan aid worker. A race against time begins to get the evacuees to the airport and escape the hell of Kabul before it's too late.

In the Hell of Kabul: 13 Days, 13 Nights (13 jours, 13 nuits)
Directed by Martin Bourboulon
Produced by Dimitri Rassam et Ardavan Safaee
Written by Martin Bourboulon, Alexandre Smia
Based on the book 13 Days, 13 Nights in the Hell of Kabul by Mohamed Bida
Starring Roschdy Zem, Lyna Khoudri, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Christophe Montenez, Yan Tual, Fatima Adoum, Shoaib Saïd, Nicolas Bridet, Sayed Hashimi, Avant Strangel, Benjamin Hicquel, Sina Parvaneh
Music by Guillaume Roussel
Cinematography : Nicolas Bolduc
Edited by Stan Collet
Production companies : Pathé Films et Chapter 2
Distributed by Pathé Distribution (France)
Release date : June 27, 2025 (France)
Running time : NC