The first one, Afghan Star, which was a winner of the Directing and Audience Awards in Sundance's 2009 World Documentary Competition, actually premiered on March 18th. I haven't seen it, but it looks fascinating. The film follows four young contestants in Afghanistan's "Afghan Star" TV show, which is an American Idol-esque competition. The film documents the weeks leading up to final results, when excitement in the country reaches its peak. According to HBO's synopsis, one female contestant's decision to let her headscarf fall after being cut from the competition throws the country into an uproar.
I think this film could be an important reminder that the country we are occupying is full of real people struggling to reconcile tradition and globalization. The trailer is definitely worth taking a look at:
Another interesting documentary HBO is premiering this month is called The Senator's Bargain. If you're interested in politics and want to take a look at Capitol Hill's inner workings, this might be worth tuning into.
"Shot over the course of six years by renowned filmmakers Shari Robertson and Michael Camerini, The Senator's Bargain follows Sen. Kennedy, the "Lion of the Senate," in one of his final major legislative battles, capturing the political legend in candid conversations at his Capitol Hill hideaway and rallying his allies with impassioned rhetoric on the Senate Floor."
This would be a timely doc to check out because the battle over immigration reform, which the film highlights, was a lot like today's health-care debate, with hot-button issues and a lot of controversy.
If you're into political docs, also check out HBO's By the People: The Election of Barack Obama.
HBO has a full schedule up on their website if you want to catch any of these.
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