Movie Description:
After thirty years of war andfive devastating years of Taliban rule, pop culture is beginning to return to Afghanistan. Since 2005, millions havebeen tuning in to Tolo TV`s wildly popular American Idol-style series Afghan Star. Like its Western predecessors, contestants compete for acash prize and record deal. More surprisingly, the contest is open to everyone acrossthe country despite gender,ethnicity or age. And whenviewers vote for their favorites via cell phone, it is, for many, their firstencounter with the democratic process. This timely and moving film followsthe dramatic stories of four young finalists- two men and two very brave women- as they hazard everything to become the nation`s favorite performer.By observing the Afghani people`s relationship to their pop culture. Afghan Star is the perfect window into acountry`s tenuous, ongoing struggle formodernity. What Americans consider frivolous entertainmentis downright revolutionary in this embattled part of the world.
