Osama
A terrified Afghan girl disguises herself as a boy to keep her mother and grandmother alive under Taliban rule, only to face an increasingly perilous loss of safety and identity.
Overview
A poignant tale of survival and identity in a world where freedom is a distant dream.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- harrowing
- austere
- oppressive
- serious film night
- world cinema viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as bitterly honest, gripping, unflinching, and deeply disturbing in its depiction of Taliban oppression of women.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The preteen protagonist is forced into a dangerous disguise and military schooling under Taliban rule.
The daughter cuts her hair and masquerades as a boy to obtain work for her mother and grandmother.
The film grounds Taliban repression in a poor family's struggle for employment, food, and safety, led by Afghan filmmaker Siddiq Barmak.
The protagonist plants a lock of her cut hair in a pot as a symbolic attempt to preserve her femininity.
Films like Osama, and why
The Circle
shared focus on women surviving oppressive patriarchal systems through intimate, emotionally harrowing drama
The White Balloon
shared child-centered perspective, authoritarian repression, and stark humanist realism
Persepolis
shared feminist social critique, constrained female agency, and austere realist storytelling
Waltz with Bashir
shared depiction of war-torn society, displaced civilians, and morally serious child protagonists
Movie Details
- Director
- Siddiq Barmak
- Release Date
- 2004-03-24
- Runtime
- 83 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (137)
Cast
- Marina Golbahari
- Arif Herati
- Zubaida Sahar
- Mohammad Nadir Khwaja
- Nader Khwaja
- Malik Akhlaqi
- Hamida Refar
- Gol Rahman Ghorbandi
- Mohammad Nabi Nawa
- Amin Nadem
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Osama about?
- A terrified Afghan girl disguises herself as a boy to keep her mother and grandmother alive under Taliban rule, only to face an increasingly perilous loss of safety and identity.
- What is Osama like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Osama as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Osama violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Osama as moderate.
- What did critics think of Osama?
- Critics broadly praised the film as bitterly honest, gripping, unflinching, and deeply disturbing in its depiction of Taliban oppression of women.
- Which films are like Osama?
- Films with a similar feel include The Circle, The White Balloon, Persepolis, and Waltz with Bashir.
- How long is Osama?
- Osama runs 83 minutes.
- Where can I watch Osama?
- In United States, Osama streams on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
