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Directed by: Siddiq Barmak Starring: Marina Golbahari This film, the first by an Afghan filmmaker to receive worldwide recognition after the fall of the Taliban, leaves the viewer with a lot of emotions. The film does an excellent job of capturing the essence of daily life under the rule of the Taliban, depicting their brutal suppression of citizens. A lot of scenes depicting the Taliban enforcing their screwed-up vision of Islamic laws are disturbing, though never graphic. The violence certainly experienced by the people of Afghanistan is implied, but it is in not showing the executions, rapes and stonings that the film manages to create emotional resonance with the viewer. The story surrounds a young girl whose widowed mother and grandmother dress as a boy so that she can work and support the family. The actress who plays the girl (whose adopted name as a boy is Osama) is untrained and appears to be able to effortlessly recall the pain and fear experienced under the Taliban's rule in order to play the role. (It's sad to note that she was actually a refugee the director found begging in the streets, and who used the money she made from the movie to buy a mud hut for her family in the refugee camp.) She ends up in a boys' school run by the Taliban, where she is made to learn the prayers and military tactics taught to Afghan boys, as well as the Islamic cleansing rituals for prayer (taught by the creepiest, most distasteful character I can imagine in a film, who singles Osama out for her "nymphlike" looks.) However, the film does suffer from what I would call "Dancer in the Dark" syndrome. Nothing goes right for anyone in this film. The ending is dark, disturbing and hopeless. I think this movie has one of the most unsettling ending scenes in any film I've seen--the pederast mullah cleansing himself after a night with his new bride. loving UGH. While the movie achieves its aim--to unsettle the viewer and awaken them to the suffering of women and children in Afghanistan--it hardly makes for entertaining viewing. Of course, some movies aren't meant to be entertaining, and that would hardly keep me from recommending this film. RATING: 3.5 PROS: A realistic, personal glimpse into the lives of the people of Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban; excellent acting from the largely untrained cast of locals. CONS: Leaves the viewer with little to no sense of hope for the characters in the film; perhaps too depressing to be enjoyed. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://imdb.com/title/tt0368913/
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Sep 20, 2004 16:03
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An amazing and utterly depressing film. I was shaken for days after watching it, especially the end - it sticks on you like toxic waste. 5.
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Nov 12, 2006 23:42
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