Third Installment of The Unit: Kabul and the Human Toll of War
If readers have followed the preceding two installments in the Unit series from Movistar Plus, they will recognize the thread that binds the new collection and the earrings of memory. This chapter transports viewers to a moment in August 2021 when Kabul had already fallen under the grip of the Taliban, and the city’s shadow stretched across every scene. The new episodes premiere today, and they promise some of the strongest, most unvarnished moments the series has offered. The creators, Alberto Marini and Dani de la Torre, set the stage for a story that refuses to sugarcoat truth, even as it reveals the human shapes that tolls of war form in shoreless places.
In this season, Marian Álvarez and Michel Noher lead a mission in Afghanistan, only to be torn apart by the Taliban’s rapid advance. Communication breaks, and the team endures the bleakest moments while separated from Spain. Carla, a character portrayed by Nathalie Poza, steps into the fray from Spain, navigating a labyrinth of bureaucratic chaos and fear. They journey to Kabul to uncover whether loved ones are alive or lost, while the production team endured security measures and the risk of escort protection during filming in Pakistan.
Question: Why was Afghanistan chosen as the setting for the third chapter of The Unit?
Answer: The decision followed the intention to close the arc where the Kabul crisis, the Taliban’s arrival, and the evacuation of embassies exposed new fronts. The project reframes the trilogy by emphasizing the roles of the Spanish Police and Army in those events, revealing the roots of the problem in a nation regarded as a cradle of Islamic terrorism. The narrative extends beyond mere action to explore origins and consequences.
Commentary: The Afghanistan era, though heavily reported at the time, left many unanswered questions about the people who lived through it. Today, the news cycle has shifted away from their suffering, yet the stories remain urgently relevant. This season makes a deliberate choice to prioritize the human side, depicting refugees seeking safe passage and the onset of Taliban control, with women bearing the brunt of repression as rights to education and expression vanish. The portrayal bears witness to a world where rights are questioned and often erased, and the film seeks to remind viewers of what was at stake.
Question: Has the global memory of Afghanistan faded since those days?
Answer: The filmmakers suggest that collective memory can fade quickly. While new crises — such as ongoing conflicts today — surge into headlines, the everyday realities faced by Afghans persist. The project uses its platform to highlight motherhood, gender, and birth, offering a critique of indifference and asking audiences to look beyond comforting perspectives. It asks how a country could seem to regress to the Middle Ages within the twenty-first century and calls for attention to those enduring struggles.
Question: Why were the chosen shooting locations appropriate for the story?
Answer: Although Afghanistan could not be filmed directly, the production recreated the milieu across Pakistan (Karachi), Almería, and Madrid. In Pakistan, set conditions required armed protection to ensure safety, with crews remaining in controlled spaces when access was restricted. The approach allowed authentic textures and atmospheres to emerge while maintaining strict security protocols.
Question: What was it like working with Afghan actors and performers amid a difficult cultural and historical context?
Answer: The collaboration of Afghan and Spanish actors presented several layers of complexity. Language, cultural differences, and the sensitive backdrop created challenges, especially given concerns within the Afghan community about safety and retaliation. Yet the ensemble brought resilience and emotional depth, helping to reconstruct realistic spaces, moods, and tensions. The experience left a lasting impression on everyone involved on set, shaping the portrayal of fear, courage, and endurance. Notably, an Afghan boxer who acted as a doctor faced a perilous real-life past but stepped into the role with gravity and dedication.
Question: How was the documentation of operations and on-ground actions for the Spanish side handled? What sources informed the portrayal?
Answer: The project relied on close guidance from the Spanish Army and specialized units, the GEOs, along with conversations with police officers and correspondents who witnessed events firsthand. It was a demanding documentation process, demanding careful attention to accuracy and sensitivity. The result is a portrayal of vigilance and power exercised under pressure, with the narrative anchored in verifiable experiences rather than speculation.
Question: What is cinema’s ultimate purpose in this context?
Answer: The creators emphasize enjoyment and storytelling, but this installment has a humanitarian core. It follows the characters as they navigate peril and loss, while aiming to illuminate Western responses, or the lack thereof, toward Afghan struggles. The filmmakers hope the film will spark awareness and underline the perseverance of those seeking freedom, reinforcing the idea that cinema can illuminate truths that demand reflection.