Afghan Star

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown 1st Floor 1-week checkout	DVD 781.63 Af	1-week checkout	Due 04-30-2024

Zeitgeist: Z1124.
Not rated.
English, Dari and Pashto dialogue with English subtitles.
Special features: interview with director Havana Marking; theatrical trailer.
Videodisc release of the 2008 British documentary by Channel 4 British Documentary Film Foundation ; Redstart Media, Roast Beef Productions, Kaboora Productions.
In Afghanistan you risk your life to sing. After thirty years of war and five devastating years of Taliban rule, pop culture is beginning to return to the country. Since 2005, millions have been tuning in to Tolo TV's wildly popular American idol-style series, Afghan star. Like its Western predecessors, people compete for a cash prize and record deal. More surprisingly, the contest is open to everyone across the country despite gender, ethnicity, or age.

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Courage Shines submitted by gem on June 16, 2019, 10:34pm Afghan Star showcases the hopes, dreams, national pride, youth aspirations, traditions, and opportunity of the Afghan people who participated in the show process and the audience who watched and voted. This movie spotlights the incredible courage of especially the women participants, and shows the delight of the singers' passion to express themselves. Additionally, it shows the very tangible danger of stepping outside the guidelines of the Afghan societal norms.

The movie gives great insight into the hearts of the Afghan people and their desire to move beyond war and enter again into a full and rich life aided by their rich heritage. I also liked the bit of history shown through pictures and a couple of short statements of what life was like before the Taliban reign.

It is a great true story and well worth watching. The director comments (separate from the movie on another clip on the DVD) were also very insightful.