Afghan film wins Montreal award

Barmak's film was partly funded by Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf

Afghan film Osama, one of the first movies made since the fall of the Taleban, has won top prize at a Montreal film festival.

Director Siddiq Barmak took the main prize at the New Movie and New Media Festival in the Canadian city.

The film tells the story of Afghan society at the time of the Taleban, concentrating on the treatment of women.

The festival jury's special mention went to the Moroccan movie Les fibres de l'ame (The Soul's Fibers).

The public prize was given to another Moroccan film, Les yeux secs (The Dry Eyes), by female director Narjiss Nejjar.

The jury, gave a special mention to Quebec directors Claude Fortin and Serge Laprade for their script for the film 100% Bio on the life of a former TV star turned presenter of infomercials.

The best screenplay prize was won by French film-maker Julie Bertucelli and Georgian director Bernard Renucci for Depuis Qu'Otar est parti (Since Otar Left).

Iranian funds

Osama had been well-received at this year's Cannes Film Festival in France, the first time an Afghan had been screened at the event. The film is called Osama because it is set in the period where al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden became synonymous with the country.

The film - which tells the story of a 12-year-old girl who pretends to be a boy was partly funded by Iranian Mohsen Makhmalbaf, the director of the acclaimed Kandahar.

At Cannes Barmak said he hoped the film would publicise the plight of Afghan women.

"There are some changes, but no big change on the whole," he said. "Some girls now go to school and work, but most women are poor and uneducated, many have to beg and most are still afraid of the Taleban."