Oscar-nominated Buzkashi Boy’s Martin Desmond Roe

By Jolene Liu

Martin Desmond Roe wrote the Oscar-nominated short, Buzkashi Boys, depicting the struggles of two boys, Ahmad and Rafi, as they try to find their way to their dreams in an extremely war-ravaged country. Ahmad and Rafi have very different backgrounds. Rafi comes from a family of blacksmiths, who expect him to follow in their footsteps, while Ahmad is a homeless orphan who roams the streets for money. Despite their differences, they became best friends and share the dream of becoming professional Buzkashi players. The film is set in Kabul, Afghanistan, and the spotlighted sport is Buzkashi, which is the country’s national sport. Buzkashi is a traditional game where players fight for possession of a goat carcass in an attempt to score in the opposing goal. This short illustrates Ahmad and Rafi’s hopes and dreams of living happier lives.

Roe is the founder and head of the Oscar, Emmy, and Cannes Gold Lion-winning production company, Dirty Robber. Roe has more than ten years of experience in development and production, focusing mainly on documentaries. Dirty Robber, founded in 2009 and located in Los Angeles, California, has directed projects on various platforms, such as Max (previously known as HBO Max), Netflix, Facebook, ESPN+, Showtime, and National Geographic. Roe executive produced the Emmy award-winning series Tom vs Time, showcasing how Tom Brady maintains and balances his professional and personal life. 

In 2015, Roe produced Kobe Bryant’s Muse, documenting the life, career, and challenges of Kobe Bryant. Roe also collaborated with Nike and National Geographic to direct the documentary, Breaking2, winning the Cannes Gold Lions award. Breaking2 recorded Elluid Kipchoge’s journey as he worked to achieve his dream of breaking the two-hour marathon barrier. They started the documentary in 2017 where Elluid, an Olympic marathon champion and four-time London Marathon winner, ran a 2:00:26 marathon, missing his goal by 26 seconds. On October 12, 2019, Roe was able to document Elliud’s victory as he ran a 1:59:40 marathon, proving that anything is possible. 

To see more of Roe’s work you can find him at the STEAM Fair, hosted by FIRST Robotics team 3473, Team Sprocket, and the global volunteer organization Kiwanis International and the local chapter Kiwanis Club of Diamond Bar Young Professionals. Roe will be presenting at the creative career panel, which is located at Diamond Bar High School on Saturday, September 28, 2024. To find more information, visit either @team3473 or @kiwanisdbyp on Instagram.