Siddiq Barmak, born on September 7, 1962, grew up in Afghanistan with a passion for cinema, initially aspiring to become a cinema projectionist. However, his ambitions soon shifted as he sought a more hands-on role in filmmaking. In 1987, he earned his master's degree in film direction, marking the beginning of his illustrious career.
Barmak's early work consisted of documentary short films, including "The Disaster of Withering" in 1988 and "The Hadith of Conquer" in 1991. His accomplishments were cut short when the Taliban took control, leading to a ban on filmmaking and Barmak's forced exile to the north and eventually Pakistan.
The fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 presented an opportunity for Barmak to return to Afghanistan and re-establish the Afghan Film Organization. He went on to found the Buddha Film Organization, with "Urooj" being one of his notable works, depicting the Afghan resistance against the 1979-1989 Soviet invasion.
Barmak's feature film debut, "Osama" (2003),was inspired by a true story about a young girl who disguised herself as a boy to attend school during the Taliban regime. He chose to work with non-professional actors, casting a 12-year-old girl, Marina Golbahari, who approached him for spare change on the street. "Osama" received widespread acclaim, including a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film.
