Afghan ''Buzkashi Boys'' bank on Internet campaign for Oscar trip

US-AFGHAN-BUZKASHIBOYS:Afghan ''Buzkashi Boys'' bank on Internet campaign for Oscar trip

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The teenage stars of an Oscar-nominated short film from Afghanistan hope to walk the red carpet at the Academy Awards in February thanks to donations that are pouring in to pay for their travel.

A representative for the "Buzkashi Boys" film said on Thursday that an online campaign is two-thirds of its way to the $10,000 needed for 14-year-olds Fawad Mohammadi and Jawanmard Paiz to travel from Kabul to Los Angeles in time for Hollywood's biggest night on February 24.

"Buzkashi Boys" is about two children growing up in Kabul who dream of becoming Buzkashi riders, horsemen who compete in the dangerous Afghan national sport similar to polo, in which riders try to carry a headless goat across a goal-line.

So far, some 120 people have donated money to the travel fund from countries that include the United States, Germany, Afghanistan, Canada and Australia. Extra cash raised will go to a college fund for Mohammadi

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