Review of Afghan Star (2008) by Alyssa N — 20 Feb 2010

This is an eye-opening documentary about the Afghan version of American Idol, and the political implications of airing a show where everybody has an equal vote and even women can sing on stage. This documentary evokes a lot of different feelings at once, because as inspiring as it is to see part of the country and its people emerging from the Taliban's shadow, it is also shocking and sad to hear everyday people saying one of the contestants deserves to die for, god forbid, dancing on stage.

On a lighter note, it was fun to watch the performances and see who would win. But because the story mostly focuses on the four contestants while only giving us glimpses of the big picture, that kept this documentary from being as deep and powerful as it could have been, even though it still tries its best to raise awareness of important issues.