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Osama | Year: 2003 Classification: Foreign Film - Other Directed: - Siddiq Barmak Actors/Actresses: - Marina Golbahari - Zubaida Sahar - Mohamad Nader Khadjeh Weak Characterizations, but Strong Images. Writer/director Siddiq Barmak made "Osama" in Afghanistan just after the Taliban fell from power. He employed a cast of non-professional actors and cinematographer Ebrahim Ghafori to weave this story of life under the oppressive Taliban regime. "Osama" is a fictional story focusing on the plight of women under Taliban rule, and was inspired by real experiences in Afghanistan. A family of women who have lost their husbands and brothers in various wars struggle to make ends meet in a society that won't allow them to earn a living. When the family's wage-earner (Zubaida Sahar) loses her job at a hospital that can no longer afford to pay her, she disguises her 12-year-old daughter (Marina Golbahari) as a boy so that she may find work and provide income for her family. But complications ensue. "Osama" is the second film featuring the work of cinematographer Ebrahim Ghafori to have a U.S. release. The first, 2001's "Kandahar", also took place in Afghanistan and is remembered best for its striking use of simple composition and bold color. Ghafori's recognizable style makes an impact once again in "Osama". It seems that he's fast creating Afghanistan's image to the world. It's remarkable that such an impoverished nation could be so photogenic. Having been inspired by real events and made by Afghani artists, I think it's safe to assume that the story of "Osama" is a realistic glimpse of working-class Afghani culture during the Taliban's reign. And that is probably the film's greatest value. The title character is not strong or well-drawn. Young "Osama" is neither intelligent or stalwart. It would be a more engaging story if she were. The director may be trying to make the point that these people are all victims, and I'm sure they are, but watching victimhood for an hour and a half leaves something to be desired. Strong characters and interesting adaptive behavior, for example. The exception is an alternately annoying and charming street urchin named Espandi who is played by Arif Herati, a street kid himself. The boy's bold salesman personality jumps off the screen. "Osama" has the distinctly plodding pace that all films made in Afghanistan seem to have, which helps communicate this very foreign culture to frenetic Western audiences. It's not boring so much as it is lulling. In spite of weak characterizations, "Osama" is a beautiful film that offers insight into an interesting culture at an unfortunate period in its history. The DVD: There is a 20-minute interview with writer/director Siddiq Barmak in which he talks about the beginnings of his film career in Afghanistan and "Osama"'s inception, casting, and filming. It's worth seeing if you like the film. There are two unavoidable previews preceding the film. Sad and scary story set in the joyless world of the Taliban This 2003 film made in a post-Taliban Afghanistan depicts the horrors of that awful regime through the tale of a 12-year old girl who is disguised as a boy so that she can find work and support her mother and grandmother. It's a sad and scary film and I had to pinch myself to remember that this kind of thing happened just a few short years ago. The film is cinematically impressive, opening with a shot of hundreds of women dressed in blue burkhas protesting the new rule of being forbidden to take jobs. Soon the Taliban arrive and use hoses and bullets to stamp out the rebellion. We see small children crying and women fleeing in terror. Two of these women are a young 12-year old girl and her widowed mother. The mother used to be a doctor but is no longer allowed to work. She tries to earn a small amount money by caring for a former patient but she always has to have a male escort and even then the Taliban stopped them because, even though she was wearing a burkha, her toes were showing as her patient's father escorted her home on his bicycle. When the patient dies, she has no work at all. Soon it becomes clear that the grandmother and mother will starve if the young girl does not go out to work. They cut her hair and get her a job with a sympathetic former comrade of her father who died fighting the Russians. Soon, though, all the young boys are rounded up to be trained as young soldiers for the Taliban. The girl, who has taken the name "Osama", is thrust into a male-dominated world. I have seen several films with this common theme. One of them was the Iranian film "Baran". The other was the American film "Yentl" where a young Jewish girl dresses as a boy in order to study. In both of these films, there was a romance. And "Yentl" was actually a comedy. But as I sat in horror watching "Osama", it didn't take long for me to realize that this story was no "Yentl." When the young girl is finally discovered, the consequences are awful. She is taken to a stadium where there is a woman being stoned to death. The girl is saved, however, by an old man who agrees to marry her. She is then taken to a sad home where he keeps many wives. They are virtual prisoners for the rest of their lives and, even though some of them have children, there is no joy in that household. As they prepare the girl for her wedding night, there is a feeling of hopelessness and desperation and we know she will never see her own mother or grandmother again. A film like this makes me again aware of the freedom and abundance I take for granted. My heart goes out to the poor people who have suffered so much under the Taliban and for the grueling poverty under which they still live. Excellent Watch this movie if you would like to see a realistic portrayal of Afghanistan during the Taliban regime. This movie might be kind of slow moving for some people, I thought the pace was fine. This movie effectively shows Afghanistan under the Taliban regime and the atrocities they commited on Afghans. The cinematography is wonderful. The sad thing is that there are still millions of people in the world who live in conditions just as bad and nothing is done to help them. If you are not interested in Afghanistan or the Taliban regime, then don't bother watching this movie. If you would like to learn about Afganistan, then you should watch this movie. Buy Osama at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  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