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 Afghanistan is not known for its movie industry, having produced just 40 films ever.
"Osama," the first movie
shot entirely in Afghanistan since the Taliban regime was ousted.
The movie tells the story of a 12-year-old girl whose
father and brother have died and who must disguise herself as a boy to leave her house and support her family. In the era
of the Taliban, women could not leave home  unless accompanied by male relatives.
"Osama"
was filmed in Kabul, the nation's capital, and the actors were all amateurs.
Its star, Marina Golbahari, was a beggar
discovered by writer-director Siddiq Barmak when he returned to Afghanistan after it was liberated from the hard-line Islamic
regime.
He had fled Afghanistan after the Taliban banned movies and closed Kabul's theaters.
 "Osama" is Barmak's first feature-length film. He gained experience directing short films and from 1992-96 headed the
government agency in charge of cinema. With the arrival of the Taliban, Barmak lost his job and fled the country in 1998,
seeking asylum in Pakistan. He returned home in 2002, assuming his old job and beginning work on "Osama."
"It's
an amazing moment for me and my people," he told Beverly Hilton Hotel audience as he picked up the Golden Globe. "I would
like to dedicate this prize to the people who lost their trust in too much promises, to the people who lost the meaning of
luck, to the people who gave me a wonderful film - 'Osama' - the children who (were) freezing but they wanted to support me."
Barmak
also Informed a packed audience in Berkeley California that the roles of the Taliban were portrait by real Taliban foot soldiers
who wanted to be "good again"
 Barmak won the Golden Globe for foreign language film on Sunday January 25 2004. The other foreign-language nominees were
"The
Barbarian Invasions," Canada
"Goodbye,
Lenin!" Germany
"Monsieur
Ibrahim," France
"The
Return," Russia.
Osama is also submitted for a foreign-language Oscar nomination.
Siddiq Barmak was born in Panjshir,
Afghanistan, on September 7, 1962. He got his M.A degree in cinema direction from the Moscow University in the year 1987.
He
has written a few screenplays and has made a few short films in Afghanistan. He was the manager of the Afghan Film governmental
organization from 1992 to 1996 and after the establishment of the new government he was once again chosen to manage the Afghan
film organization. All his works were banned during the time of the Taliban.
Short films:
Billiard, Super 8, 20
Minutes, 1980
 Awards
Best
Foreign Language Film: 61st Golden Globes 2004
Special Mention: Cannes Film Festival 2003
Best First Feature: London
Film Festival 200
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