Osama

2003, Drama, 1h 22m

103 Reviews 5,000+ Ratings

What to know

critics consensus

Osama is bitterly honest, deeply disturbing, and utterly worth watching. Read critic reviews

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Osama Photos

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Movie Info

The Taliban closes down a hospital, putting a mother (Zubaida Sahar) and daughter (Marina Golbahari) who work there out of a job. Legally prohibited from going out unaccompanied by men, and having none to rely on, they hatch a desperate plan to disguise the daughter as a boy answering to the name "Osama." The ruse works for a while, but when the Taliban begins conscripting boys for their training school, Osama fears it won't be long before she is discovered.
  • Rating:
    PG-13 (Mature Thematic Elements)
  • Genre:
    Drama
  • Original Language:
    Pashto
  • Director:
    Siddiq Barmark
  • Producer:
    Siddiq Barmark, Julie LeBrocquy, Julia Fraser
  • Writer:
    Siddiq Barmark
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     original
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Box Office (Gross USA):
    $1.1M
  • Runtime:
  • Distributor:
    Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Cast & Crew

Marina Golbahari
Osama
Arif Herati
Espandi
Zubaida Sahar
Mother
Khwaja Nader
Jadi
Hamida Refah
Rohmi
Gul Rahman Ghorbandi
Moazin
Siddiq Barmark
Director
Siddiq Barmark
Writer
Siddiq Barmark
Film Editing
Behrouz Shahamat
Sound
Faroukh Fadai
Sound
Akbar Meshkini
Set Designer
Kaveh Moeinfar
Assistant Director
Homayon Paeiz
Assistant Director
Mirvais Rekab
Assistant Director
Razi Mohebi
Assistant Director
Ebrahim Ghafuri
Cinematography
Reza Sheakhi
Assistant Cinematographer
Mehdi Amiri
Assistant Cinematographer
Vahid Ramagh
Photographer
Siddiq Barmark
Producer
Julie LeBrocquy
Producer
Julia Fraser
Producer
Show all Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews for Osama

All Critics (103) | Top Critics (41) | Fresh (99) | Rotten (4)
Full Review… Anthony Quinn London Evening Standard Full Review… Peter Travers Rolling Stone Full Review… Peter Rainer New York Magazine/Vulture Full Review… Jay Boyar Orlando Sentinel Full Review… Marc Savlov Austin Chronicle Full Review… Robert Denerstein Denver Rocky Mountain News Full Review… David Walsh World Socialist Web Site Full Review… Jay Antani Cinema Writer Full Review… Felix Vasquez Jr. Cinema Crazed Full Review… Stefan Ulstein Christianity Today Full Review… Robert Roten Laramie Movie Scope Full Review… Nick Davis Nick's Flick Picks
View All Critic Reviews (103)

Audience Reviews for Osama

  • Feb 06, 2012
    Succeeds where Kandahar doesn't in depicting the plight of women in Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban.
    John B Super Reviewer
  • Sep 05, 2010
    Holy cow this is not a film to watch if you want a feel-good movie! The horrible life that these women (young and old) had to endure in this country boggles the mind. It's an amazing insight on a whole entire different culture that needs to never ever flourish. Very well done film. Very depressing though.
    Cynthia S Super Reviewer
  • May 31, 2010
    The first Afghan film since the fall of the Taliban, Osama is a deeply harrowing and touching movie of great historical importance set during a monstrous regime that seems to have existed centuries ago, only it hasn't been that long that it came to an end.
    Carlos M Super Reviewer
  • Aug 24, 2009
    Good movie, but I didn't like the way it ended. But that doesn't take away the great acting performance of Arif Herati. Her character Golbahari is told by her mother and grandmother to disguise herself as a boy so she can get a job and bring home the bacon. But in the process...she's recruited by the Taliban. Does her secret and disguise work? You'll have to watch to find out.
    George K Super Reviewer
See all Audience reviews

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