Osama

2003 movie from Afghanistan's Siddiq Barmak. This is a fine film, and a tough one to watch.
To deal with the plot first, we have some good hardcore identification, which fits well with the political, almost polemic mood. We are suggested to be Western voyeurs in a sense, but ultimately this film isn't about us, it is about our heroine. Her story is a fine one, a tragic one. It can be argued that the narrative, after the first forty five minutes, perhaps had the momentum it had at the start. But these scenes at the end have a terrible power, the film becomes difficult to watch as what presented as a difficulty at the start becomes concrete terror.
With the horror of the 'action' it seems a bit sentimental to mention that the film has a wonderful colour and 'grainness'. The way that the walls are shot is marvellous, as are the repeated shots of smoke/steam/sand. The slightly washed out, but still vivd colour is marvellous. This is a great cinematic pace about the movie, we come to appreciate the time of the inhabitant, enter into their world. Especially prescient scenes include the demonstration at the start and the long shot of the bathing teacher at the end.
If only more people could see this film. Great regional cinema.