Osama

Osama is the first full-length feature film made in Afghanistan since the Taliban came to power in 1996. It shouldn’t be mistaken for a film about the life and times of Osama bin Laden, however.

This movie is the story of a fatherless 12-year-old girl (Golbahari) who is forced to provide food for her all-female family. The men of the family have all been killed in various wars, and under Taliban rule a woman is unable to travel on her own, so her mother (Sahar) convinces her to cut her hair and dress as a boy named Osama so they can go to work in their village. Soon the Taliban come collecting boys for religious education, and “Osama” is taken along, protected by her friend Espandi (Herati) but she’s always under the threat of discovery.

The script and camerawork of Osama are clever and very skilful, giving us an intimate view of the characters and situations, while disarmingly natural performances make it feel almost like a documentary. It’s a chilling examination of the effective imprisonment of women under Taliban rule, not to mention being deprived of education and even basic freedoms.

There's a truth here that can't be ignored – catch it on the cinema screen while you have the chance!

Percival Tucker