Rule Breakers is a movie with fighting spirit.  A true story of young Afghan women in 2017 engaged in an international robotics competition focuses on unity and intelligence of the vanguard leaders. The success of persevering high school students, women who fought to be educated despite facing threats of violence, becomes an example of inspiring strength to both men and women in the audience.  I admit I was impressed by the message of cooperation among individuals on various national teams as well as the growth of more reluctant members of the Afghan group. The film contains kernels of communist ideas of antisexism and cooperation not competition and science as tools that will help the working class build a better future under an egalitarian communist society. However, some of the film's scenes sidestepped the question of nationalism and fear. 

When the women are denied visas we are all reminded of our immediate political situation.  Then in disjointed fashion we are shown history leading up to 1999. The repression of women.  The haunting specter of the Taliban.  Then shots are fired through a car window—we reflect on fascism and the current dangers of ICE. And then right back to the movie where a handful of women and their coach try to recruit brilliant young science scholars to enroll in an international competition.  There’s a suspense filled moment when no one shows up . .  then we behold in a basement classroom the scores of women who were shunted away from access to computers—living examples of discrimination and perseverance.

Women workers struggle against sexist capitalism

Tension builds as one woman’s father is killed when the Taliban bombs a mosque. Another woman is pulled off the team by an irate relative. Then the women’s computer is held up in customs. After receiving a compensatory silver medal in Washington, DC, for their “effort” during the visa delay, the Afghan women decide to engage in a second international competition in Albuquerque, NM.  Their robot is sent to the wrong address. It arrives in time but in unusable condition. One of the parts must be welded, and the working-class experience of one woman shows by example the necessary marriage of manual and intellectual skill as she uses the materials in a car garage shop to repair their broken mechanism.

One garage mechanic tells his personal story of on-ground battles in Afghanistan. He found the people there admirable. Two mechanics attend the Albuquerque festival, cheering on the Afghan team.  Throughout the entire film there are scenes of solidarity between teams.  Men and women are seen writing words of encouragement on the backs of the shirts of members of opposing teams.

Each country fosters a unique humanitarian promotion of robotics: One robot dances delicately in crab-step fashion over lethal, toxic material. 

Another favors saving sea life using complex facsimiles of fish robots. One team illustrated how visually challenged people might navigate terrain safely with robotic assistance.  Afghanistan took first place with magnetic detection where spray paint then illuminated land mine locations.  The team predicted the ability to save thousands of lives of adults as well as children who play in desolate areas over the globe.  That first prize is a triumph of one country’s women, but the intent of the film’s message was international.

Now imagine if these ideas and innovations were being realized by women, men, and people of all genders from around the world, armed with scientific education, in an anti-sexist, antiracist, communist, egalitarian world—without borders, money, profit-driven motives, or imperialist competition and wars. In such a world, the working class would have the power to develop all this and more. This is the vision that the Progressive Labor Party (PLP) fights for. Join us!