Osama
The first film to be made completely in Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban, ‘Osama’ provides a heart-wrenching look into the life of women and children during that regime. Forbidden to work and barred from going out in public unless accompanied by a male family member, women without husbands or sons had no means to support themselves and their female family members. Out of desperation, a widowed nurse disguises her young daughter as a boy so that she can get work to feed the family. But the child is spotted by the Taliban and sent off to religious school instead, to disastrous results.Officially selected for “The Directors’ Fortnight” at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival, ‘Osama’ received a special mention for the Caméra d’Or award and other accolades – the Art House French Cinema award, the Cannes Junior award and the UNESCO Fellini award. ‘Osama’ went on to win the BFI Sutherland Award at the London Film Festival 2003 and the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film 2004.
The film also received numerous other awards as it garnered significant trade and popular recognition throughout the film festival circuit worldwide, having been selected by more than 50 festivals since it premiered at Cannes.
Osama – Trailer
Awards
35th Directors Fortnight, Cannes 2003
Special Mention Camera D’or Cannes 2003
Cannes Junior 2003
French Art-house Cinema Award 2003
Unesco Fellini Humanitarian Award 2003
Best Actress Award Cinemaya 5, New Delhi 2003
FicBrasilia Film Award, Brazil 2003
Top Prize at Montreal’s New Movie & New Media Festival, 2003
Audience Award, Pusan International Film Festival 2003
Best Performance of a Young Actress, Ukraine 2003
Best Feature Film, Ukraine 2003
Golden Spike at 48th Valladolid Intl Film Festival, Spain, 2003
BFI Sutherland Award, London Film Festival 2003