Osama (2004)

That was an excellent one.

Good movie but grossly overrated

A Major Disappointment

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

When I saw the title of this film made in Afghanistan, listed in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, I assumed it was a film about Osama bin Laden, the title has only an allegorical relevance, I was going to watch it whatever. Basically Afghanistan is ruled by the Taliban, the Islamic fundamentalist political movement regime is repressive, especially for women who are not allowed to work, among other things. One family consisting solely of three women of three successive generations find this situation especially difficult, various Afghani wars have killed all males of their family. The Mother (Zubaida Sahar) had been working in a hospital as nurse, before the Taliban cut off hospital funding, regardless of her not being allowed to work. The Mother and Grandmother (Hamida Refah) make a decision, the only way they feel they can to survive: they have twelve-year-old daughter (Marina Golbahari) disguise herself as a boy, so that she can get a job and support the family. The daughter feels powerless and agrees to masquerade as a boy,but she is scared the Taliban will discover her and is certain they will kill her. The daughter cuts her hair and plants a lock of it in a pot, partly as a symbolic measure, so that her lost femininity can flourish. The only people outside the family who know about the ploy are the milk vendor, who was a friend of her deceased father, who employs the daughter, and a local boy named Espandi (Mohammad Arif Herati) who despite her outward appearance changing recognises her, Espandi gives her the name Osama. The daughter finds the masquerade becoming more difficult to pull off when the Taliban are recruiting all the local boys to the strict Koranic school, military training eduction is included. Also starring Mohammad Nadir Khwaja as Mullah and Gul Rehman Ghorbandi as Moazin / Talib. Untrained Golbahari gives a great performance as the pre-teen girl going undercover as a boy to make much needed money for the family during chauvinist tyranny, this was the first film to be made post-Taliban Afghanistan, it uses neorealism with the themes of uncomprehending trust and innocent courage to moving effect, the political element does not overshadow the well thought out story, it is a worthwhile drama. It won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. Good!

Set in Afghanistan after the Taliban has decreed that women should not be seen in public without a male chaperone.A widowed woman, Espandi, loses her job as a doctor following the closure of her hospital. She disguises her 12-year old daughter as a boy, calling her Osama, and ventures out to find work and stop the family from starving. As Osama's disguise is gradually revealed we are shown the dangers and abuse that she encounters.An uncompromising story of the harsh realities of life under the Taliban. Hard-hitting, never sentimental, superbly filmed and acted, particularly by the young cast.

Osama is a film made in Afghanistan by Siddiq Barmak.The story was about a girl living in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime that disguises herself as a boy, Osama, to support her family.This all-Afghan feature stars Marina Golbahari,Arif Herati,Zubaida Sahar and Khwaja Nader It was the first film to be shot entirely in Afghanistan since 1996 - the year when the Taliban regime banned the creation of all films.It is the first all-Afghan feature released since the end of the Taliban rule. Osama's story starts in the early days of the regime.A young girl and her widowed mother participate in a demonstration for women's right to work. When the demonstration is broken up by the Taliban, they hide out with local street kid Espandi. When the Taliban take over a hospital where the mother secretly works, they are arrested and jailed. In order to go to work, the mother dresses the young girl as a boy. Forced to attend school, the girl reunites with Espandi, who refers to her as Osama.Osama is both heartwarming and heartbreaking in the sense that it provides the viewer the what Afghan life is all about particularly those of women.It is is bitterly honest about what life in Afgahnistan is all about during the rise and fall of the Talian.It was also deeply disturbing especially with the conditions and predicament that people have to go through.Barmak also proves that he is a talented and creative director.He made a very emotional film whose power cannot be denied.Overall,it is movie that is worth watching especially when it gives us a realistic view about a foreign culture and life in a foreign country.

This is a very sad movie. Also, a very unfortunate portrayal of the Taliban regime. For a lot of historical reasons, primarily due to humanity's need to care for its young, women have not had the opportunities that men have. However, until recently, very few men had much of an opportunity either. Even in the Western civilized world, 100 years ago and before it was difficult to live long enough to be able to procreate. With that said, I can understand why some cultures treat women differently than men -- even today. But, this movie goes way beyond that. Women certainly were denied many things in Europe and America 100 years ago -- but in no time in recorded history (that I know of)were women systematically treated this way. Without giving anything away, this movie ends very sadly and has a very sad premise. It needs to be seen though. It involves the systematic mistreatment of 1/2 of the population -- beyond anything other than systematic killing. Of course, if such cultures killed women they would cease to exist. Perhaps it shows a fate worse than death.