Slovak premiere

Set in the aftermath of the Taliban’s rise to power in 1996, the film follows Osama (Marina Golbahari), a prepubescent girl living in a household without men, together with her mother and grandmother. Under the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Sharia law, women are forbidden not only from leaving the house without a male escort, but also from working. As a result, the family is left trapped at home, facing starvation unless friends or relatives bring them food. Eventually, the grandmother comes up with a desperate solution: Osama will cut her hair and disguise herself as a boy. Only then will she be able to work and earn enough money for the family’s survival. For a while, the plan succeeds and Osama finds work in a small shop. But everything changes when all boys are ordered to attend a religious school. From that moment on, her exposure becomes only a matter of time.

The film received the Caméra d’Or – Special Mention at the Cannes Film Festival, the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, as well as numerous festival awards, including prizes for Best Director, Screenplay, and Production at the 2003 Bratislava International Film Festival.

Cast: Marina Golbahari, Arif Herati, Zubaida Sahar, Malik Akhlaqi, Gol Rahman Ghorbandi, Mohamad Haref Harat, Mohamad Nader Khadjeh, Khwaja Nader, Hamida Refah

The film will be presented with the personal attendance: Siddiq Barmak (director)

Sales: Siddiq Barmak