Osama (ATOM Study Guide)

Set during the time of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, Osama tells the heart-rending story of a young girl forced to disguise herself as a boy in order to support her family. It is a searing indictment of the Taliban, whose barbarism and systematic cruelty seem rooted in the Dark Ages – and yet they ruled Kabul less than two years ago and have not been completely eradicated today.

Though anger and outrage are palpable in almost every scene, Osama is much more than a political diatribe. It is distinguished by a lead performance of overwhelming solemnity and grace; almost every shot conveys a sense of this suffering girl's dread and foreboding. She says very little throughout the film: calling pitifully for her mother at times of terror; grimly telling her family that the Taliban will surely kill her if they discover her deception … Somehow the silence around her becomes a powerful means of conveying her fear and vulnerability.

Osama is filled with indelible images of torment and debasement; and its visual style is further intensified by an innovative use of sound. Filmmaker Siddiq Barmak offers us an insight into a war-riven, destitute country, where despots cloak their viciousness in religious rhetoric. The film reminds us of the individual lives concealed by the newspaper headlines; it forces us to acknowledge the cost of turning our backs on a humanitarian catastrophe such as that endured by the Afghanis under Taliban rule. This simple story of the abuse and destruction of one young girl's dignity and hope, embodied in the unforgettable desolation of Osama's face, demands something from its audience: a basic recognition of the profound injustice that has been perpetrated and a terrible admission of the complicity of all those in power elsewhere who knew of these human rights abuses and failed to act.

Curriculum Links:
Osama offers an opportunity to learn more about the recent history of Afghanistan and the Taliban, but be warned: this is a harrowing film. Given the complex and disturbing nature of the issues raised, it would be unsuitable for junior or middle school students. Senior secondary or tertiary students in Politics, English, Media Studies, Women's Studies and International Studies will find a gripping drama that can serve as a springboard into a range of important geo-political questions and human rights issues.