Osama (2003)

What a disturbing film although it is a little comforting to realise that the way of life depicted is now something of the past, as the film and its story could not have been made when the Taliban were in control in Afghanistan.  It concerns three generations of females, all of the males in the family have been killed, who can not support themselves as women are forbidden to work.  They decide to disguise the youngest as a boy so that someone can bring home the bread, as it were, but this ruse is short-lived when she is forced to study and bathe with other boys, and the infidel is "suitably" punished by being married off to an old goat rather than stoned to death.  The impossible situation in which these women found themselves was unfortunately the norm, and the film clearly portrays the paranoia of living in Kabul at that point of the country's history.  Obviously things are somewhat improved now as this film could never have been shot on location otherwise, but I do recall reading recently that the lead young actress and her family are not a lot better off today.

I am off again to New York, so there will be no updates for nine or ten days, but do come back then.  Take care....