After the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan and the restriction of women in public life, a preteen girl is forced to masquerade as a boy in order to find work to support her mother and grandmother.
Acting
Marina Golbahari, a street-cast non-actor, carries unbearable weight in every silence.
Direction
Barmak shot under Taliban threat; every frame reeks of authentic terror.
Production
First Afghan film post-Taliban, made with literal pocket change and borrowed equipment.
Director
Siddiq Barmak
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Marina Golbahari was literally begging on Kabul streets when the casting director found her; she kept her real name in the film.
This was Afghanistan's first international feature after the Taliban fell — Barmak smuggled the negative to Pakistan for post-production, fearing it would be destroyed.
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