2009, UK
Documentary, Drama, History, Music
The riskiest thing an "American Idol" contestant can do is choose a bad song to perform. On "Afghan Star," Afghanistan's equivalent TV show, contestants may risk their lives through inadvertent political statements or even a few dance moves. Director Havana Marking captures this cultural flipside in her feature film debut, Afghan Star, by following four of the show's contestants as they perilously make their way to the top.
Winning Audience and Directing Awards from the Sundance Film Festival, the documentary is engaging in its portrayal of a culture wholly different from that which American audiences are familiar. However, this was not always the case. Videos from the 1980s show hip city dwellers grooving to pop music. Enter the Taliban, whose rule affected all aspects of society, including regulations against song and dance. It was not until 2004 that these restrictions were lifted, and TV shows such as "Afghan Star" invaded the culture like a virus.
Fans are earnestly devoted to their favorite contestants, with some campaigning by posters and megaphones in an attempt to encourage others to phone in their votes. Rumors begin that people were selling their cars in order to purchase more phone cards, spending more than the show's $5,000 prize. Towns gather around the nearest TV, plugging into car batteries or performing impressive feats of physics in order to gain a signal on the night of the show. Their choice of vote is often the first ballot that they have ever cast in their lives.
Intentionally or not, the contestants range from different tribes of the country. Some areas use that ethnic criterion to vote, while others use this representative cross-section as a reason to forget about labels. As contestants support each other and stand arm-in-arm on stage, bridges are rebuilt that were previously torn down by the emotional destruction of the Taliban. It may seem like a small effort for a pop TV show to heal wounds, yet actions speak volumes to the thousands watching.
It is hard to ignore the female contestants, as only three of the original 2,000 entries were women. Held to a higher level of scrutiny, female viewers often comment on the bravery of these contestants, while the men can be particularly harsh. When contestant Setara is ousted, she performs her final song not only with her head exposed but by dancing on stage, causing immediate shock to the strict Islamic community and ultimate concern for her life. Heartbreakingly, she claims she simply wanted to lift the heaviness of her heart after losing, and instead she received death threats for this choice of expression.
Though surrounded by controversy, it is impossible to ignore the smiles and delight of the viewers as they playfully tease friends who vote for the competition. One-third of the country watched the final show, bound together in this break from Taliban rules and strict traditions. Though some still judge the contestants to high standards, the open discussion of laws and beliefs is encouraging. Who knew pop music could be so ground breaking?