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OSAMA Send This Review to a Friend
An Afghan film written, directed and edited by Siddiq Barmak, "Osama" is a heartbreaker exposing how the Taliban brutalized women under its rule in Afghanistan before being uprooted. The film recounts the story of a 12-year-old girl who becomes disguised as a boy in order to find work to aid her poverty-ridden family. The drama derives its power from its lean style, powerful plot and touching portrayal by Marina Golbarhari as the youngster whose life is imperiled as a result of her defying the Taliban's oppressive rules.
Barmak depicts the ruthlessness with which street protests by women are suppressed in the male-dominated society, with women reduced to being regarded as inferior beings and virtual slaves. The opportunity for work and education is denied, and when Osama's mother dresses her like a boy and she goes out into the world as an imposter, the result is disastrous for her. Once exposed, she can be subject to dire punishment, with her only outlet being forced to become yet another wife for an old Mullah who claims her.
The story is told with realism and simplicity, giving us an effective look into this world that seems so bizarre to the outsider. It is at once a personal cry in behalf of the character trapped in this society and a worldwide plea for the rights of women, wherever they are being trampled. "Osama" is a film that should leave you deeply moved. A United Artists release.
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