Review: 'We Came Home', Directed by Ariana Delawari

One of the best things about home videos is that the raw footage can be taken and made into a movie, which is exactly what Ariana Delawari decides to do for what turns into her intriguing film We Came Home.

Delawari is a great musician and singer, based in Los Angeles. Her story begins with her mother’s father, who came to the United States as a stowaway from Afghanistan. Settling in New Jersey, he married Delawari’s Cecilian grandmother. Delawari’s father hails directly from Afghanistan and works directly with their banks to help strengthen their economy. It's because of all these reasons that she feels such a close connection to the country. 

After the Taliban is disbanded in 2001, she decides to visit the devastated country and get to know it and its people. Feeling inspired by the people and their hope for the future, Delawari, with the help of a couple of her friends, decides to create music with an Afghan/American mix to represent both her influences. 

Going back to LA, Delawari gets filmmaker David Lynch to help produce and mix the album for his record company. When the album is released in 2009, it’s to positive reviews, but Delawari feels that it’s not enough for the people of Afghanistan and goes back one more time before things become too unstable. The final scene of Delawari singing her title song to images of Afghans is deeply moving.

One of the most beautiful aspects of We Came Home is the fact that the footage is all raw. Scenes of Ariana and of her mother and father among the Afghan people, their interactions with them, their passion to help them, is all documented so well through the eyes of Delawari. The exceptional scene in the film is of Delawari, her two friends, and three Afghan musicians recording songs interspersed with footage of the Afghan people dancing and having a good time in the streets. It looks like the scenes go hand in hand and they’re wonderfully edited and powerful.

Throughout the film, you can sense the passion that Delawari feels and the worry she has for the country’s future. Her raw emotion as she’s recording her songs is very touching. We Came Home is a touching and raw film about Delawari, her connection to Afghanistan, and its influence on her music and life. Delawari brings the country’s culture and hope to life through her eyes and music, and the film resonates and gives us a deeper look at the Afghanistan that we are usually not shown.