Osama (2003)

Director:

Siddiq Barmak

Writer:

Siddiq Barmak (writer)

Release Date:

27 June 2003 (Afghanistan)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

A 12-year-old Afghan girl and her mother lose their jobs when the Taliban closes the hospital where they work...

Plot Keywords:

Taliban | Boy | Girl | Afghanistan | Widow

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 14 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Marina Golbahari	...	Osama
Arif Herati	...	Espandi
Zubaida Sahar	...	Mother
Mohamad Nader Khadjeh
Mohamad Haref Harati
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gol Rahman Ghorbandi
Khwaja Nader
Hamida Refah

Directed by
Siddiq Barmak

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Siddiq Barmak		writer

Produced by
Siddiq Barmak	....	producer
Julia Fraser	....	producer
Julie LeBrocquy	....	producer
Mohsen Makhmalbaf	....	executive producer
Makoto Ueda	....	producer

Original Music by
Mohammad Reza Darvishi

Cinematography by
Ebrahim Ghafori

Film Editing by
Siddiq Barmak

Production Design by
Akbar Meshkini

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Razi Mohebi	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Faroukh Fadace	....	sound
Behroz Shahamat	....	sound

Other crew
Chieko Murata	....	assistant to producer

Production Companies

• Barmak Film
• Makhmalbaf Productions
• Swipe Films
• Hubert Bals Fund
• LeBrocquy Fraser Productions
• NHK

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• CDI Films (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Delphi Filmverleih Produktion (2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Folkets Bio (2004) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• ICA Projects (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Kamras Film Group (2003) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Lucky Red (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corporation (MGM) (2004) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Al!ve AG (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Arkles Entertainment (2004) (New Zealand) (all media)
• Barbar Film (2004) (Turkey) (all media)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2004) (Argentina) (VHS)
• United Artists (2004) (USA) (all media)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• With Cinema (Korea)

Other Companies

• Makhmalbaf Productions  funding

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements.

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

Afghanistan | Netherlands | Japan | Ireland | Iran

Language:

Pashtu | English | Dari

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Malaysia:U | Finland:K-11 | South Korea:12 | USA:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Norway:11 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Kabul, Afghanistan

Company:

Barmak Film

Trivia:

Director Siddiq Barmak was helped in the making of his film by leading Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf who gave him $100,000 funding and the 35mm cameras and equipment he needed. Makhmalbaf also persuaded his regular cinematographer Ebrahim Ghafori to work on the project.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Osama: Sharing Hope and Freedom (2004) (V)

chillingly real

A powerful and disturbing film of what life was like under the oppressive Taliban rule. Maybe because the cast are not actors and it starts with a boy talking to the camera as if it's a documentary being made it feels like what unfolds is actually happening and this makes it a very real and chilling experience. A film that should be seen.(8/10)