Film Review: Osama
Osama (Siddiq Barmak, 2003)
In Pashtu, with English subtitles
Winner, Golden Globe (2004), Best Foreign-Language Film
Under the oppressive Taliban government, which bans women from working and leaving the house unescorted by an adult male, a 12-year-old girl disguises as a boy so she can work and help her mother make ends meet. There's no male in their household. As a boy she is Osama.
In Pashtu, with English subtitles
Winner, Golden Globe (2004), Best Foreign-Language Film
Under the oppressive Taliban government, which bans women from working and leaving the house unescorted by an adult male, a 12-year-old girl disguises as a boy so she can work and help her mother make ends meet. There's no male in their household. As a boy she is Osama.
The film is terrifying in the sense that she always finds herself in a situation where her identity is doubted. The brutal regime is effectively conveyed in the film even with minimal number of scenes that suggests it. The tension is right there in every scene. I didn't exactly find what to feel as the film concluded. I was stunned nonetheless.
Rating: 3.5/4.0
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