The daring and eagerly awaited film adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s best-selling novel, The Kite Runner is the next Reel Alternatives movie on Monday, March 17. The film is directed by Marc Forster, who made his Hollywood breakthrough with Monster’s Ball, then excelled in a diverse array of filmmaking genres with fine films including Finding Neverland and Stranger than Fiction.

Initially set in Afghanistan during the sixties, amid political and military turmoil, The Kite Runner is an unforgettable story about loyalty and redemption, and a powerful exploration of father-son relationships.

The story begins with a young boy named Amir and his best friend Hassan, who is the son of his servant. Amir sets out to win his father’s affection by competing in a kite-running tournament, in which participants with honed kite-battle skills seek to eliminate their foes by maneuvering their kites, which often have special strings coated with glass to slash the strings of others.

When Amir wins, and his kite is the last in the sky, Hassan goes to retrieve the final downed kite as a trophy for his friend. Tragedy ensues, setting off a chain reaction of life-changing events for both boys.

Amir immigrates to the United States with his father, where he marries and becomes a successful writer. Unsettled by the tragic events of his childhood, Amir returns to Afghanistan when he is called upon to rescue Hassan’s son from the Taliban front lines.

Seeking to right the wrongs that have haunted him for so long, Amir hopes to rekindle a friendship that was an intricate tapestry of love, defeat, freedom and disgrace.

Forster’s adaptation will appeal to fans of Hosseini’s novel, intricately capturing the intensity and audacity of the celebrated original work, and will welcome newcomers with its universally poignant story and wonderful insights into a seldom-glimpsed facet of Afghani culture.

The Kite Runner is sponsored by Trillium Jazz and will be shown at 7 p.m. on March 17 at the Capitol Twin Cinema. It is rated 14A for language, violence and disturbing content.

Advance tickets are $7 at Muskoka Country Furniture and Gifts on Main Street, or $8 at the door if available. To see more about this non-profit group’s movies and projects visit reelalternativeshuntsville.ca.