Film Festival 09 - Afghan Star
Afghan Star
Afghanistan/UK 2008, 88m
Director: Havana Marking
Festivals: Sundance 2009
Audience Award, Directing Award - World Cinema Documentary,
Sundance Film Festival 2009
Pop culture has returned to Afghanistan after 30 years of Taliban
rule. Though the old-guard elites vehemently oppose it, millions
tune in weekly to Tolo TV's jubilantly groovy talent quest Afghan
Star. Like its Western models the show offers non-professionals a
chance to compete for a cash prize and record deal. Viewers vote by
SMS. Two thousand people auditioned in 2007; three of them were
women. Havana Marking's film follows four top contestants as they
head towards the last-man-standing finale. Ethnicity clearly
influences popularity as Hameed, a classically trained singer of
the persecuted Hazara group is well aware. But gender is the
explosive issue. Wearing modern fashion and Bollywood makeup,
21-year-old Setra sets off a national scandal. Adored by young
girls she's denounced by the traditionalists. Can the male
supremacists turn back the tide? Marking amasses enough
evidence for us to dare to hope not. - BG. "A fantastic documentary
about a talent competition in a country where you'd never dream
such a thing is possible." - Oprah Winfrey
www.afghanstardocumentary.com
