The films of Siddiq Barmak and the story of Afghan cinema
Siddiq Barmak made Osama, the first film shot entirely in Afghanistan after the Taliban banned filmmaking, and later the war satire Opium War. This guide explains his films, his life and the wider history of cinema in Afghanistan, with a source behind every key fact.
Two films, two faces of war
Osama
A girl in Kabul under Taliban rule cuts her hair and passes as a boy so that her family can eat. Shot for about US$46,000 with a cast found on the streets, it won the Golden Globe and a special mention for the Caméra d'Or at Cannes.
Plot, cast and awards →
Opium War
Two American soldiers survive a helicopter crash and fall into the orbit of an Afghan family of poppy farmers who live beneath an abandoned Soviet tank. A tragicomedy about who really pays for war.
Story and background →
Who is Siddiq Barmak?
Born in the Panjshir Valley in 1962, Barmak studied directing at the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) in Moscow and returned home in 1987. He led Afghan Film, the state film organization, from 1992 until the Taliban took Kabul in 1996, filmed the war from the side of Ahmad Shah Massoud's forces while in exile, and came back after 2001 to rebuild the institution.
His first feature, Osama, brought Afghan cinema back to the world's festivals. Its success rested on a simple principle he has described in interviews: tell the truth about ordinary people, even when the truth is bleak.
“With Osama, I wanted to show something not too optimistic, not too cheerful.”
Afghan cinema in six moments
Afghan cinema has been built, destroyed and rebuilt more than once. These are the turning points that shaped the world Barmak worked in.
- 1920s
First public screenings of silent films at Paghman, near Kabul.
- 1968
Afghan Film is founded in Kabul to make newsreels, documentaries and features.
- 1996
The Taliban ban cinema. Archivists hide thousands of reels to save them from burning.
- 2003
Osama premieres at Cannes and goes on to win the Golden Globe.
- 2019
Sahraa Karimi becomes the first woman to lead Afghan Film.
- 2025
Afghan Film is dissolved by the Taliban administration, according to Afghan media reports.
Women in Afghan cinema
When Barmak cast Marina Golbahari as the lead in Osama, she was a child begging on the streets of Kabul. Her later life, including death threats after she appeared at a film festival without a headscarf, shows what it can cost an Afghan woman to be seen on screen.
Since 2001 a generation of women directors, among them Saba Sahar, Roya Sadat, Sahraa Karimi and Shahrbanoo Sadat, has taken Afghan stories to Venice, Cannes and beyond.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Siddiq Barmak?
Siddiq Barmak is an Afghan film director, screenwriter and producer, born on 7 September 1962 in Panjshir. He is best known for Osama (2003), which won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, and for Opium War (2008). He twice headed Afghan Film, the national film organization.
What is the film Osama about?
Osama follows a young girl in Kabul under Taliban rule. With the men of her family killed in the wars and women forbidden to work, her mother disguises her as a boy so that she can earn money. When the Taliban send all the local boys to a religious school, her secret is in constant danger.
Where was Osama filmed?
Osama was filmed in Kabul between June 2002 and March 2003, with nonprofessional actors whom Barmak found on the city's streets. It was the first film shot entirely in Afghanistan since the Taliban banned filmmaking in 1996.
What awards did Osama win?
Osama won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film in 2004. In 2003 it received a special mention for the Caméra d'Or at Cannes, the UNESCO Fellini Silver Medal, the Sutherland Trophy at the London Film Festival and the Golden Spike at Valladolid, among other prizes.
What is Opium War about?
Opium War (2008) is a black comedy about two American soldiers who survive a helicopter crash in the Afghan countryside and meet a poor family of poppy farmers living beneath an abandoned Soviet tank. It won the Golden Marc'Aurelio critics' award for best film at the 2008 Rome Film Festival and was Afghanistan's submission to the Academy Awards.
Is this the official website of Siddiq Barmak?
No. BarmakFilm.com is an independent editorial guide to Siddiq Barmak's films and to Afghan cinema. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by Siddiq Barmak or the Barmak Film production company. Read more on our About page.