Afghan Star by Havana Marking

After so many different opinions amongst Nisimazine’s reporters, I went to watch Afghan Star. The title of this documentary refers to an Afghan TV show based on American Idol, which allows people to vote for the next singing star of their country. Directed by British journalist and filmmaker Havana Marking, the film follows the four main competitors – two men and two women.

The first scene is quite striking: a cute blind child singing a famous traditional song. At first you could be forgiven for thinking that this would be one more documentary about poverty and terrorism in the region. But Afghan Star is more than that. The film deals with the culture people used to have before the Taliban were in power. It shows how Afghanis used to behave in the 80s and how they are trying to get back to it using this TV show as a first step (considering any kind of cultural manifestation can bring a revolution!). Moreover, the public can vote by sms, a democracy long assimilated by the West, but almost a luxury for the Afghan population.

Satara, one of the candidates, dances and uncovers her hair in her last song after being eliminated from the show – both of course are not allowed in Afghan society. Whereas the focus that the film places on this sequence of events and their consequences for Satara could be seen as a clichéd representation, if these behaviours are part of their culture then how could they not be part of the documentary?

The film’s ‘plot’ is purposefully structured, with moments of suspense worthy of any feature film. It’s one of those documentaries made to have a wider appeal, rather than being appreciated only by a select group of film buffs – which is quite a quality. Even Afghan people’s opinions about the show consolidate the documentary’s central idea: they want to change and to improve their image. For me, one more Western person reflecting on a totally different culture, this documentary aims to build on those wishes.

Today Afghan Star is our Film of the Day. We recommend that you watch it and make your own conclusions.

Estela Cotes