On the horsemen’s steps by Joseph Kessel.
In December 2001, in Afghanistan, during the war between the Taliban and the coalition forces, Alain Buu, photo-reporter, covers the Tora-Bora battle for Gamma agency. The terrible battles take place in a magnificent and strangely calm landscape. Alain Buu makes himself a promise: he will come back one day, but this time it will be to reveal the authentic and savage beauty of this unique country, capable of preserving it’s nobleness despite 22 years of war. He knows he will have to immerge himself into the very heart of this land desired by all the conquerors but never completely submitted, and follow Joseph Kessel’s footsteps who also let Afghanistan absorb him in order to render it so alive in his novel “The Horsemen“. The book “On the Horsemen’s steps”, photographs from Alain Buu and text from Joseph Kessel, preface from André Velter, will be published by Gallimard and is coming out on the 26th of October 2007, in France.
Photos © Alain Buu / Orizon / Lightmediation
