Local girl Havana Marking has reaped two awards at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival, her documentary follows a group of contestants in a "Pop Idol" like television show called "Afghan Star". In a country ravaged by wars and oppression this is the first time that young people and women have had a chance to express themselves. Viewers vote for their favorite contestants via SMS and for many of the young people this is their first experience with a democratic process.
The Taliban had outlawed music and dancing for years and even now contestants and staff of Afghan Star receive threats after Afghan Council of Scholars called the show 'immoral and un-Islamic'. Contestants are literally risking their lives to sing.
