Female Trouble ëOsamaí Shows Horror of Life for Women Under Taliban by Ky N. Nguyen Exiled to Pakistan during the Talibanís rule, former Afghani Film Association head Siddiq Barmak directs his first feature in a naturalistic, gritty style, effectively drawing on his background in documentaries following training at the Moscow Film Academy. With financing from Japan and Ireland, "Osama" was made with the support of Iranís Ministry of Culture and the Makhmalbaf Film House. Billed as the first entirely Afghan film to be made after the fall of the Taliban, "Osama" is not about Osama bin Laden. After the Taliban gain power, they close a hospitalóending the employment of a young girl (played convincingly by the nonprofessional Marina Golbahari) and her mother. As no surviving males remain in the family, the Talibanís restriction on unescorted females leaving the household places the all-female household in a quandary. The girl disguises herself as a boy called Osama to become her familyís breadwinner, leading to tragic results. "Osama" (Pashtu with subtitles; 82 min.) is now playing at Cineplex Odeon Dupont Circle. It recently had a benefit premiere for the Feminist Majority at Landmarkís E Street Cinemaís grand opening celebration. East Meets West in Berlin German filmmaker Wolfgang Becker, from the X-Filme Creative Pool (best known for Tom Tykwerís "Run Lola Run"), dryly satirizes both Communism and Capitalism with the amusingly farcical "Good Bye, Lenin!" With the fall of the Berlin Wall, the former East Germans are perhaps more appropriately the "children of Marx and Coca-Cola" than the mid-1960s Parisian protagonists of Jean-Luc Godardís "Masculine-Feminine." When a young protester (the German heartthrob Daniel Br¸hl) is arrested in 1989 East Berlin, his mother (Katrin Safl) suffers a heart attack. After she awakens from a coma, the GDR no longer exists. The faithful son tries to recreate it in their apartment with false news stories to avoid shocking her, under strict doctorís orders. "Good Bye, Lenin!" (German with subtitles; 121 min.) opens Friday, March 19 in Washington, D.C. It has been nominated for a slew of international awards, winning many for Best European and Best German Film, as well as acting and technical prizes. Pilgrimage to Jerusalem "Jamesí Journey to Jerusalem," directed by Raíanan Alexandrowicz, presents an intelligent, alternative perspective to the usual cinematic social and political observations about Israel. A young pilgrim (Siyabonga Melongisi Shibe) ventures from his small African village to the Promised Land, only to be mistaken at the airport for an illegal guest worker and detained. Wily contractor Shimi (Salim Daw) frees the pilgrim and employs him as a house cleaner in Tel Aviv, where he does cheap labor once performed by Palestinians. James gradually grows to become streetwise. "Jamesí Journey to Jerusalem (Massaíot James Beíeretz Hakodesh)" (Hebrew, Zulu, French and English with subtitles; 87 min.) is scheduled to open Friday, March 19 at Cinema Arts and Friday, March 26 at Visions Cinema/Bistro/Lounge. It recently premiered in D.C. at the Washington Jewish Film Festival. Golden Age of Surrealism When "LíAge díOr" premiered in 1930, its social, political and religious barbs were viewed as blasphemous by the French establishment. The irreverence led to a literal riot in the Parisian theater, which was torn apart by angered conservatives. The police banned the film, and its patronóVicomte de Noaillesówas ejected from the Jockey Club. "LíAge díOr" is the second of Spanish filmmaker Luis BuÒuelís Surrealist partnerships with Salvador DalÌ, following 1928ís short "Un Chien Andalou." ("Destino," DalÌís collaboration with Walt Disney, is currently playing before "The Triplets of Belleville" at Landmarkís E Street Cinema.) BuÒuelís first sound film, "LíAge díOr" is appropriately named, setting the Surrealist standard for the rest of the idiosyncratic auteurís career. "LíAge díOr (The Golden Age)" (French with subtitles; 60 min.), screening with "Un Chien Andalou (An Andalusian Dog)" (silent; 16 min.), opens Friday, March 19 at AFIís Silver Theatre. ëTokyo Storyí: Ozuís Favorite 1953ís "Tokyo Story" is revered Japanese director Yasujiro Ozuís favorite of his films. Itís also ranked No. 5 in Sight and Soundís latest poll in 2002 of the greatest films of all time. The sober tale eloquently depicts how Japanís postwar industrialization widens the chasm between traditional and modern values. When a retired couple visits their doctor son and his hairdresser wife in Tokyo, the busy youngsters push their elders off to the side. Only their widowed daughter-in-law, whoís continually smiling, has any time for them. Finally, a tragic ending changes the charactersí perspectives on life. "Tokyo Story (Tokyo Monogatari)" (Japanese with subtitles; 136 min.) opens Friday, March 6 at AFIís Silver Theatre. The Complete Ozu The AFI Silver Theatreís Cinema From the East series features extended runs of Japanese director Yasujiro Ozuís "An Autumn Afternoon" and "Late Spring." Theyíre part of a traveling complete retrospective of Ozuís surviving work, also playing at the National Gallery of Art and the Freer Gallery of Art. ((301) 495-6700, www.afi.com/Silver) ((202) 842-6799, www.nga.gov/programs/film.htm) ((202) 357-2700, www.asia.si.edu/events/films.asp) Sembene and von Trier at AFI The AFI Silver Theatre continues to pack its screens with global treasures. March 5 to 18 brings eight Senegalese features from Ousmane Sembene, considered the father of African cinema. Beginning March 26, Danish bad boy Lars von Trierís films are revisited to complement the release of his latest feature, "Dogville," in commercial theaters. (301) 495-6700, www.afi.com/Silver) Environmental Film Festival From March 18 to 28, the Environmental Film Festival reaches out to institutions all across the nationís capital. Most screenings include discussions of the environmental themes led by the filmmakers or other notables. On March 18 and 21, the National Museum of African Art sponsors screenings of "Waiting for Happiness," returning from Filmfest DC last year. Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako, trained in Moscow, pays homage to "Waiting for Godot." The visually entrancing string of episodes, set in a coastal Mauritanian town, steadily reveals the quiet blessings of the multiple charactersí lives. A big hit in France, "The Butterfly (Le Papillon)" plays on March 18 at La Maison FranÁaise. An ignored 8-year-old girl joins her cranky neighbor (Michel Serrault) on a quest for a rare butterfly. The film exquisitely contrasts urban frenzy versus pastoral pleasures and adult cynicism versus childlike innocence. (202) 342-2564, www.dcenvironmentalfilmfest.org) DC Independent Film Festival From March 4 to 11 at AMCís Mazza Gallerie, the DC Independent Film Festival screens shorts, features, animation and documentaries from local, national and international independent filmmakersówho will often be in attendance. At the Embassy Suites Hotel in Friendship Heights, the Industry Advocacy Forum takes place on March 5, the Film Market and Trade Show from March 5 to 6, and Seminars from March 5 to 7. (202) 537-9493, www.dciff.org) Ky N. Nguyen is the film reviewer for The Washington Diplomat.