Amir (Zekeria Ebrahimi) and Baba (Homayoun Ershadi) prepare to flee to America to avoid the Soviets in "The Kite Runner."

A beautiful film that sheds light on the Afghan people that an American such as I may never otherwise see, "The Kite Runner" is indeed among the best films of the year.

Two childhood friends in Afghanistan Amir and Hassan(Zekeria Ebrahimi and Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada) love to fly kites competitively: The idea is to cut your opponent's string. Amir flies, and Hassan assists and is the runner who retrieves an opponent's fallen kite as a trophy.

There are issues of class involved, as Hassan is the son of Amir's father's servant. Amir and Hassan are heckled and bullied by neighborhood boys for their friendship, which leads to a shocking act of betrayal that puts a rift between the friends.

When the Soviets invade, Amir and his father (Homayoun Ershadi) flee to America and create a new life for themselves.

Years later, Amir receives a message from home: Hassan was killed by the Taliban, and his young son was left at an orphanage.

The film is strikingly well-acted, marvelously written and lovingly directed.

Ershadi gives a wonderful performance and should receive recognition come awards season, and the child actors who play Hassan and Amir are terrific.

The film does a marvelous job of depicting daily life in Afghanistan without playing the Afghan people as backwards, victimized or villainous. They're simply people with slightly different customs, some of whom long to live in America, others who are horrible bigots.

While the film takes place in Afghanistan, there is no mention of U.S. politics, nor is America portrayed as a villain. That's not what this film is about.

Instead, it's the characters who make a more universal statement about the nature of love, loss, friendship and duty, one that stretches across cultures.

If you haven't seen "The Kite Runner," put it at the top of your must-see list.