Detroit Film Theatre
AFGHAN STAR

November 13, 15 & 20, 2009 

(Afghanistan/UK – 2009 – directed by Havana Marking)

After years of war and Taliban rule, pop culture is beginning to return to Afghanistan. Since 2005, millions have been tuning in the country’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. Winner of the Directing and Audience Awards in Sundance’s 2009 World Documentary competition, Havana Marking’s timely and smashingly entertaining film follows the stories of four young finalists—two men and two remarkably brave women—as they hazard everything to become the nation’s favorite performer. By observing the Afghani people's relationship to pop culture, Afghan Star becomes the perfect window into a country’s tenuous, ongoing struggle for modernity. What Americans may consider frivolous entertainment is downright revolutionary—and more human—in this troubled part of the world. In English, Dari and Pashto, with English subtitles. (88 min.)

“Wonderful! The movie’s hard-won good vibes had the audience cheering!” -Ty Burr, The Boston Globe