At the time when Berlin-based actor Massi Mrowat accepted the offer to play a young Taliban soldier in the film The Stone of Patience there was no way he could know what far-reaching consequences the role would have for him and his entire family.

Mrowat had come to Germany early in 2010 because his father was a diplomat in the Afghan Embassy. During his school years Mrowat had taken part in theatrical performances in Kabul and, after moving to Berlin, he successfully took part in the casting process for "The Stone of Patience". It was a dream come true for him, he said later in an interview. It was "a great opportunity, almost a miracle."

His time in Berlin was not originally intended to be permanent: his family wanted to return to Afghanistan in 2013. But then came the premiere of the film, which examines a number of taboos in Afghan society: Massi Mrowat himself, but also the members of his family in Germany and Afghanistan, were exposed over night to substantial hostility, up to and including death threats. His father lost his job as a diplomat, the family members were informed that their lives would be in danger if they returned to Afghanistan.
Mrowat, his three siblings, and his parents had to apply for asylum, give up their flat and move into accommodation for asylum seekers. Their asylum application was approved. Massi Mrowat has now begun to study economics, although he still continues to act.

Selected Work
The Stone of Patience (France, Germany, Afghanistan, 2012)