he documentation of Dr. Massouda Jalal’s 2002 and 2004 election bids in Afghanistan’s fledgling democracy, is special for one main reason: she’s a woman. Even those who aren’t Taliban experts probably understand that women’s rights weren’t exactly on the up and up. Jalal doesn’t pander to women’s rights, though: she is a candidate of the people, male or female. Jalal, who allowed a documentary crew to follow her for what was, all-told, a two year period, is composed, smart, and restrained–perhaps so because she has to pace herself while competing with multiple male candidates. The doc focuses more squarely on the 2004 election, and the issue regarding voters washing off their voter’s ink in order to vote additional times. This scandal made the elections look amateur, and though Jalal clearly did not win (President Karzai was re-elected by an overall majority) she is now a member of his cabinet, The footage is grainy, but interviews include politicians, villagers, UN representatives overseeing the election, and plenty form Jalal and her family. The fottage may not cover the whole spectrum of Afghan life post-Taliban, but it shoots from the ground floor.
www.frontrunnermovie.com
