A look at how contestants on the a musical contest program "Pop Idol" in Afghanistan risk their lives to appear on the show.
Director:
Havana Marking
From metacritic.com
The acclaimed actor and musician goes deep on androids, UFOs, and the films she studied for Season 2 of "Homecoming."
Related News
-
New to Streaming: ‘Hell or High Water,’ ‘Kubo and the Two Strings,’ ‘Dog Eat Dog,’ and More
11 November 2016 | The Film Stage -
Brad Pitt vs. Brad Pitt: Why ‘Allied’ Has An Awards Release, But ‘War Machine’ Doesn’t
08 August 2016 | Thompson on Hollywood -
Brad Pitt vs. Brad Pitt: Why ‘Allied’ Has An Awards Release, But ‘War Machine’ Doesn’t
08 August 2016 | Indiewire
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Afghan Star (2009)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
2 wins & 3 nominations.
See more awards »
Edit
Cast
| Credited cast: | |||
 |
Habib Amiri | ... | Self |
|
|
Setara Hussainzada | ... | Self |
|
|
Rafi Naabzada | ... | Self |
|
|
Lima Sahar | ... | Self (as Lema Sahar) |
|
|
Hameed Sakhizada | ... | Self |
|
|
Massoud Sanjer | ... | Self |
|
|
Daoud Sediqi | ... | Self |
|
|
Tahir Shaqi | ... | Self |
|
|
Fazl Hadi Shinwari | ... | Self |
Learn more
More Like This
Last Train Home
(2009)
Documentary
|
Drama
Director:
Lixin Fan
Stars:
Changhua Zhang,
Yang Zhang,
Suqin Chen
Bill Cunningham: New York
(2010)
Documentary
|
Biography
|
History
Director:
Richard Press
Stars:
Bill Cunningham,
Anna Wintour,
Michael Kors
Osama
(2003)
Drama
Director:
Siddiq Barmak
Stars:
Marina Golbahari,
Zubaida Sahar,
Khwaja Nader
Documentary
|
Music
Directors:
Lev Anderson,
Chris Metzler
Stars:
Norwood Fisher,
Angelo Moore,
Chris Dowd
The Man with the Golden Arm
(1955)
Certificate: Passed
Crime
|
Drama
|
Romance
Director:
Otto Preminger
Stars:
Frank Sinatra,
Kim Novak,
Eleanor Parker
Waste Land
(2010)
Documentary
Directors:
Lucy Walker,
Karen Harley, and 1 more credit »
Stars:
Vik Muniz
Seymour: An Introduction
(2014)
Documentary
|
Biography
|
Music
Director:
Ethan Hawke
Stars:
Seymour Bernstein,
Ethan Hawke,
Sam Bachelor
Everything Will Be Ok
(2006)
Animation
|
Short
|
Comedy
Director:
Don Hertzfeldt
Stars:
Don Hertzfeldt
Earth and Ashes
(2004)
Drama
Director:
Atiq Rahimi
Stars:
Abdul Ghani,
Jawan Mard Homayoun,
Sher Agah
Terror by Night
(1946)
Crime
|
Drama
|
Film-Noir
Director:
Roy William Neill
Stars:
Basil Rathbone,
Nigel Bruce,
Alan Mowbray
Wajma, an Afghan Love Story
(2013)
Drama
Director:
Barmak Akram
Stars:
Wajma Bahar,
Mustafa Abdulsatar,
Haji Gul Aser
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
"Afghan Star" is a TV show modeled on the UK's "Pop Idol." We join the 2008 contest when it's down to nine contestants, and we focus on two women, Setara and Lema, and two men, Hameed and Rafi. We watch the two women in particular: Satara sings with emotion and includes dance in her final performance, an action that puts her life in danger; Lema is traditional, but her very appearance brings death threats. The three finalists are from different tribes, and each makes a plea for Afghan unity. The camera visits families watching the competition, there are comments from people in the street, and we return home with a nervous Setara. In Afghanistan, singing is an expression of freedom. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
Certificate:
UnratedParents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »
Edit
Did You Know?
Trivia
United Kingdom's official submission to 82nd Academy Award's Foreign Language in 2010. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
Edit
Edit
See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
UKRelease Date:
16 January 2009 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Afghan Star See more »Filming Locations:
AfghanistanEdit
Box Office
Opening Weekend USA:
$3,671, 28 June 2009Gross USA:
$102,115Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$112,909Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
ColorContribute to This Page
On IMDb TV, you can catch Hollywood hits and popular TV series at no cost. Select any poster below to play the movie, totally free!
I have never seen American Idol, nor am I a fan of that sort of entertainment. Afghan Star is a Middle Eastern version of that program, with the difference being that in a Muslim culture, the contestants are in a real life and death struggle every day between the secularists and the devout. One of the female singers loses her scarf while singing, and as a result receives threats from those who wish to kill her.
Setara is the first one voted off and besides the constant harassment from religious fanatics, she is evicted from her apartment, and puts her parent's in danger when she attempts to move back in with them.
Other singers compete to become the Afghan Star, and this should be seen by everyone to expose the narrow mindedness of theology. Thank God that here in America, we have the separation of church and state and we are free to worship any deity of our choice. The documentary proves why it is the right decision.