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In harmony with the theme of the XV Florence Biennale 2025, “The Sublime Essence of Light and Darkness”, dedicated to the coexistence of opposites as an essential condition for life and the development of every living being, UNICEF Italy presents the project "Milk Teeth". This ten-minute short film portrays the inner conflict experienced by Afghan girls, torn between opposing forces during the delicate transition from childhood to early adolescence.

The film, presented at the Rome Film Festival 2024, Cartoons on the Bay 2025 and at the Giffoni Film Festival 2025, is created using a mixed-media technique, where live-action footage alternates with evocative black-and-white animations by Maria Matilde Fondi. The voice of the protagonist, Fatima, a seven -year-old girl, narrates her fear of losing her milk teeth — a natural moment of growth that, in her context, symbolizes anxiety and uncertainty. Growing up means facing a future marked by early marriage, limited education, segregation, and restrictions imposed by the Taliban regime.

For the XV Florence Biennale, in addition to the presentation and screening in the theater area, with interventions by the creators and contributors of Milk Teeth, the project includes the exhibition of a selection of Maria Matilde Fondi’s black-and -white drawings from the short film, displayed in a space created in collaboration with UNICEF Italy.

Short Film Overview

"Milk Teeth" was conceived by director Giuseppe Carrieri and actress and UNICEF Ambassador Alessandra Mastronardi, who visited Afghanistan in September 2023. The protagonist, Fatima, imagines fantastical ways to escape her fate: soaring freely like an heron or attempting to keep her wobbly teeth in place using plaster from her dentist father’s workshop. These dreamlike sequences leave the audience with a mix of sorrow for Afghan girls’ reality and hope for a future change.

Produced with the support of UNICEF Italy, the film was created under extremely challenging conditions by the director Amid Meerzad, as the Taliban regime has practically suspended all artistic activity and recently criminalized the visual representation of any living being, making every scene a courageous act of witness.

The project also highlights UNICEF’s ongoing commitment in Afghanistan to guarantee girls’ right to education up to 12 years old and to support educational programs that allowed approximately 3,500 Afghan children to attend school last year, through teaching materials and teacher training.

"Milk Teeth" thus represents a work of profound social and artistic significance, transforming pain and fear into a universal message of resilience, hope, and the right to grow freely. The exhibition space, featuring Maria Matilde Fondi’s distinctive black-and-white drawings, further amplifies the project’s visual and emotional impact, offering visitors an immersive experience of both the challenges and the strength of Afghan girls.