Afghanistan is one of the worst places to be born a girl; so say the expository intertitles that greet us. Young women aren’t taught to read; they’re forced into marriage at an early age; and violence, both physical and emotional, becomes part of their daily existence. Somewhere in Kabul — the name of the operation and its location are never disclosed — there exists a program for children that teaches courage. Not bravery in the sense of a soldier jumping on a grenade to save the platoon, but the kind of courage it takes to go to school and get an education. Dedication has its rewards, and once the school day is done, the girls are schooled again, this time in the art of skateboarding. We all wish that we had teachers like this, who turn the instilling of self-esteem in their girls into an art form. What I like most about the film is that it never posits sports as a means of escape from one’s dire straits, or as a career path that might lead to becoming the next dope female skating sensation like Lacy Baker. Carol Dysinger directs. — Scott Marks