The documentary Afghan Star chronicles the daily lives of four finalists in the recently televised Afghan singing competition of the same name. The wildly popular third season of Afghan Star took place in Afghanistan in 2007, and was documented by award-winning director and producer, Havana Marking. The singing competition, which was modeled after western culture-phenomenon Pop Idol, held profound historical and cultural significance for the Afghan people. The Taliban regime outlawed dancing, listening to music, and singing in 1979 under a strict interpretation of Muslim law called Sharia. The televised competition marked the relaxing of Taliban rule for the first time in thirty years. Television was also illegal under Taliban law as evidenced by the fledgling television station (Tolo TV) in its efforts to produce a quality program with little experience and less budget.
Director Marking follows the contestants to their respective villages and cities which represent four different cultural ethnicities within Afghanistan, as they campaign to become the next Afghan Star. The competition provides a backdrop for the economic and cultural challenges Afghans face every day in a society struggling to rebuild and redefine itself. The majority of the film captures an Afghanistan that is relatively poor in resources and arcane in its treatment of women but offers more than one montage that captures the breathtaking beauty of the war-torn country. Kandahar, Kabul, and Herat are city names that most Americans associate with news of car-bombings and troop deployments. The significant impact of the film is that it provides an in-depth look into the daily lives of the proud Afghan people and their culture without military camouflage in the foreground.
Political, ethnic, and religious ideologies are all brought into conflict by the show which allows viewers to vote for their favorite singer via SMS text message. For many viewers of the show, voting for the Afghan Star is the first exercise in democracy that they have encountered. More than 11 million Afghans or one third of the country’s population participated in the final vote. The film which is now playing at the Ken Cinema on Adams Street, won both the Audience Choice Award, and the Directors Award for World Cinema Documentary, at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
British director-producer Havana Marking spoke with Mesa Press from London via e-mail, about the making of Afghan Star.
MP: Was there any specific moment during the shoot when you realized that this film could garner such highly coveted awards at Sundance? When you knew you were shooting something that was incredibly compelling?
HM: Yes. When Setara danced on stage it was electric. The shock and power of her action vibrated through the backstage area and I knew this was something historic. However I didn’t yet have the confidence that I would be able to craft a film with such a powerful narrative structure. Later though when we found the archive footage of the warlord Ismail Khan condemning her on local TV I began to have more confidence. I knew how the story unfolded and how I would tell it.
MP: What was your original impetus for making this film?
HM: I had always wanted to go / explore Afghanistan – all my life. My father had been there in the 60s and the images from that era were just epic. I talked to a Britsh war journalist, Rachel Reid (now the brilliant Human Rights Watch officer there). She in fact told me about the new TV series Afghan Star and put me in touch with the Local channel owners. I knew instantly that it was a genius idea – I have always loved Pop Idol (I always cry!) – and new it would be the perfect vehicle and way in to such a complex and extraordinary place.
MP: What were some of the obstacles you encountered while shooting in Afghanistan?
HM: You could only film in safe areas – we didn’t go to Kandahar for example where one of my characters was from, because it was dangerous for us, but even more importantly it was dangerous for her to be seen with westerners there. We gave her a handycam and so was[sic] able to film some stuff for us. Afghanistan is very volatile and problems can flare up in odd areas at any time. There was a warlord who suddenly freaked out in the north-west and so we had to cancel a shoot as his local militia were on the rampage there. He wasn’t Taliban, in fact he was part of the government so you never knew what was about to happen. Luckily because we were working with Tolo TV, the local TV station that made Afghan Star, we had access to all information from their news teams. Day to day it affected us because we couldn’t really plan anything in Advance due to kidnap threat. We just had to turn up and drink lots of tea and hope the person would agree to filming.
MP: Another documentary you made in 2005; The Great Relativity Show won the Pirelli Science Award. Your 2007 documentary about disabled strippers, Crippendales, won the Channel 4 New Talent award. Afghan Star won big at Sundance this year. If your next film doesn’t win an Oscar, will you be terribly disappointed?
HM: NO! Some films and stories need to be told, even if they aren’t so commercially successful or prestigious. I am planning a film about Afghan midwives for example who are incredible, heroic young women and the project needs to be documented for history’s sake. I have no idea how it will play out and can’t imagine it will have the kind of interest my earlier films have had. I feel compelled to do it though.
MP: Do you believe U.S. policy in Afghanistan will be effective at instituting democracy and increasing equal rights for women, or will it merely exacerbate the humanitarian abuses that already seem to exist there, and delay the natural evolution of the region?
HM:It might not be democracy or equal rights in the way we understand them, but it is already amazing to see steps being made. Such abuses arise, in my opinion from poverty and conflict and if we can at least ensure that one generation grows up with peace and education then we have done a great thing.
MP: Although Afghan Star could be considered a political film, it’s a human interest story at it’s core. Are you political, or do you simply look for compelling subject matter, and that steers you toward sensitive issues?
HM: I don’t think that the two can be separated – especially in a country like Afghanistan but also if you want to make a really compelling film. You need great characters, you need fascinating subject matter but you also have to search for the layers in every story. Why does this matter to the audience? What does it say about the world? What does it inform us about our own relationships? What can w learn to make things better?
MP: I understand that as part of your deal to shoot the documentary, you assisted with the production of the actual program, Afghan Star. Did it feel like you were working on two projects simultaneously, and did your involvement affect the outcome of the competition at all?
HM: Actually the deal was not work on Afghan Star but with the whole TV station in general. The Afghan Star show was pretty much in shape and so didn’t need any help – I in no way affected it’s development. I would have meetings with the producers of other programmes – news, current affairs, reality, music shows – and discuss with them ideas and ways to improve. Those guys are very bright and very quick and totally dedicated: rather than try and ‘teach’ people how to make good shows, I tried to encourage creative brainstorms where ideas would come from the team together. The reason why the channel, Tolo TV, works is because it is Afghans making films for Afghans. I can help the process but I can’t improve on those guys talent and understanding.
MP: In terms of validity, how do you feel the votes cast for Afghan Star, compare with the votes being tallied for Hamid Karzai?
HM: It is extremely difficult to say or compare. We have no idea of the extent of Karzai’s corruption in the elections. My feeling is that there was definitely ballot box stuffing in his favour, but he had also been very clever in his maneuvers in the run up. We can only wait and see what the Election Complaints commission have to say in the end.
MP: How do you see the evolution of Afghanistan unfolding over the next ten to twenty years?
HM: We are I’m afraid going to have to see what happens in these elections results. If Karzai wins I will be rather depressed. He is horribly corrupt and has placed a lot of very unsavory characters in his cabinet. If there is change then there is a real chance of building a democratic and transparent government.
MP: Most importantly, what’s next for Havana Marking?
HM: I am for now making a follow up film to Afghan Star and have just finished working on a film about the elections there. The country still has a very strong hold on me: it is the centre of the world right now. History is being made there.
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