Afghan Star is a talent quest which scours for hot new musical talent in the nation of Afghanistan. Although music was still permitted on radio and TV, musicians were required to support the regime. The final was watched by 11 million people, a third of the Afghan population, all voting for their favourite singer by mobile phone; for many, it was their first taste of democracy. After thirty years of Taliban rule, with music, television and most merriment outlawed, one of the runaway successes in that broken land has been these competitions. Host Sediqi has been granted political asylum in America. The show's. . Setara was eventually evicted from her home. HM: There are a million different things we could have done, and a million different things that could have happened as and when we were there. See here for our terms of service. The documentary follows these two women and two men. Music has been caught in the crossfire in Afghanistan for the last 30 years. HM: Daoud Sadiqi, Afghan Star's presenter, who recently sought asylum in the US, has just been granted asylum, which is great news for him and I am very happy. Afghan singer who appeared on the third season of "Afghan Star. On the TV show she danced and removed her hijab while singing. "She brought shame to the Herati people," says a young man on the streets of her home town. "Afghan Star is better than politics," says one guy in a teahouse. Except when it comes to Forogh, it seems. Artist descriptions on Last.fm are editable by everyone. Afghan Star, An Unlikely Platform For Liberation in Afghanistan, Is A Beacon Of Hope For Women. Afghan Star. This would be humorous if it werent so murderously meant and if a democratic Afghanistan werent still an idea very much in play. Any work that you looked to when you started this project? [CDATA[ Most of us are familiar with the images of Afghanistan at war, or under the Taliban; but until the rebellion against the Soviet invasion, the country was a relatively modern state, at least in the capital. Here's an article from the July 2009 Documentary Online in conjunction with the film's theatrical run in June and July.. STARmeter. But when you have a deadline and a budget, you make decisions and live with them. Even the audience members must go through multiple security checks. All Rights Reserved. Does it include "American Idol"? Setara doesnt really want to be the Courtney Love of Afghanistan. As broadcast networks blossomed, Tolo TV built Afghan Star explicitly on the American Idol model. D: How has making this film influenced your interests and aspirations as a filmmaker? Silencing the Song: An Afghan Fallen Star, a documentary by Havana Marking released in January 2011 revisiting Setara as she deals with continuous death threats. Mostly Islamist in outlook, the Mujahideen placed restrictions on music and outlawed women singers. Director: Havana Marking. The third episode of Afghan Star Season 15 featured the Ghazal auditions. Silencing the Song: An Afghan Fallen Star. The message in his songs is national inclusiveness and unity. But in Marking's documentary, you can hear a gasp of horror when Setara starts to dance. Instead, its just sort of there. An eerie silence ensues between sound bites. Taking the inflammatory convergence of democracy, modernity and pop culture in a fragile "post-war" Afghanistan as its point of departure, Afghan Star is a powerful and evocative documentary, grounded in astute observation and led by compelling human narratives. Easier said than done. Simon Broughton reports, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Taboo buster 2008 Afghan Star finalist Lema Sahar, who claimed the Taliban were voting for her. We gave her a handycam, and so she was able to film some stuff for us. I am 100 percent happy with the film, so, no, I wouldn't do anything differently. [CDATA[> Her act of defiance changes the tone and direction of the film, as the controversy intensifies and new ones arise. Details of other showings: afghanstardocumentary.com. AFGHAN STAR. Did it lead you to other ideas or passions? Movies. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. Women who are part of the entertainment culture are looked down upon. He was a good friend of the president of the company that had the lawsuit with the government. Now hopes are high that this hit show can unite Afghanistan's diverse ethnic groups and help bring an end to conflict. could not find your e-mail or password. Setara Hussainzada. When Silencing the Song picks up a year later, Hussainzada has married one of her fans and is eight months pregnant, but her life is in disarray. Afghan Star (2009) Directed by Havana Marking Genres - Culture & Society , Film, TV & Radio , Music | Sub-Genres - Social History , Social Issues , Politics & Government | Release Date - Jun 26, 2009 (USA - Limited) | Run Time - 87 min. Man in the street: [after Setara adds dance moves to her song] She should be killed. I guess I just forget. [CDATA[// >