Afghan Star

Director Havana Marking and "Afghan Star" host Daoud Siddique take questions

RACQUET CLUB, PARK CITY

Just got out of "Afghan Star," the first of six screenings of the day. This documentary film centers on "Afghan Star," a televised competition program in Afghanistan similar to "American Idol." Themes here at first appear similar to what you'd expect for a competition - who will win, who will be cut before the final round. But the canvas on which the stories are painted are markedly different from what those of us in the West are familiar with. The country is divided amongst many ethnic groups and each supports their own "star." The Taliban decries that all cell phone networks in "sensitive areas" be shut down at night, effectively cutting off voting for the show which is done via SMS. When one woman dares to dance as part of her song on the program, she receives many death threats and is unable to return to her home for nearly three months due to safety concerns. Dancing of any kind is ultimately banned from television. Fear is constant and the show, then in its third season, is nearly shut down on several occasions. But the show is extremely popular, drawing viewership from a third of the country for its final showdown episode. People cross ethnic boundaries, voting for singers who come from backgrounds different from their own. It's even rumored that members of the Taliban have texted in some votes. Unifying a diverse country takes unorthodox means, and it's clear that "Afgan Star" is a strong force in that battle.

For the Q&A following the film, director Havana Marking was joined by Daoud Siddique, the host of "Afghan Star," who had come all the way from Afghanistan to see the film screen at Sundance.

"Afghan Star" was preceded by a short film entitled "Theresa's Story," which explores the unique storytelling abilities of young children. The film was quite non-traditional, employing a technique where two different tellings of the same story by a particular child were placed side by side and overlaid in audio. The rest was mass confusion, punctuated by the fact that the audience couldn't figure out that the short had ended until titles for "Afghan Star" appeared on the screen. Interesting, but it managed to convey little or nothing to the audience. So much for storytelling.