Life and Living
The film Osama is a perfect example of the difference between life and living. The characters in this film are not really living, but rather going through life with restrictions imposed upon them merely because of their gender.
This film is the first from Afghanistan in the post-Taliban era. It is directed by Siddiq Barmak who uses the subtleties of the characters facial expressions to convey the depth of feeling welling up inside of them. Osama is played by Marina Golbahari, Espandi, her street urchin friend, by Arif Herati, and her mother Zubaida Sahar. The film is set during the Taliban regime, where woman are banned from leaving their houses without a male escort. This is particularly problematic for this family since both the father and brother have been killed. The mother has lost her job and with no means of income, she takes a desperate step, one that will ultimately prove to be tragic.
Osama is disguised as a boy and the trials and tribulations of this action are exquisitely shown with clarity and honesty. When her true identity is discovered, she is put on trial and subsequently punished by being given to an elder as his wife. Being that she is only 12 years old, her fate has been sealed and her youth stolen.
While I was aware of the situation in Afghanistan, this film brought it to light in a way that is both unforgettable and extremely disturbing. The acting by Marina is one of the finest performances I have seen to date. Her face mirrors the terror, hopelessness, and desperation she felt because she was a woman unable to live life as we have all come to know. Repression and submission were the stronghold of the regime and nowhere is it more evident than in this film. The women were trapped in a life which held no hope and out of that came heartbreak and suffering.
If you’re looking for an uplifting film, pass this one up. Unlike Hollywood, this film doesn’t have the requisite happy ending. It is, however, poignant and intense and affords the opportunity to see life from a different perspective.