The withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan is a memorable event to many. The conclusion of a 20-year conflict, this indicated an end of an era for the United States—but what of those in Afghanistan? What was this withdrawal like, and how did the turnover of the Afghan government into Taliban hands transform their lives? And Still I Sing tells the stories of Aryana Sayeed, Sadiqa Madadgar, and Zahra Elham, three Afghani women involved in the reality competition TV show Afghan Star. The international documentary follows them from their humble beginnings to the conclusion of their stories, displaying the highlights and pitfalls of each contestant in Afghan Star along with the harrowing events that follow the conclusion of the season.
Notable in the documentary is the poignant use of historical context to add key background information without detracting from the stories of the three women. Afghanistan’s regime changed over time, moving from a more authoritarian government infringing on women’s rights to a less imposing control. By inserting footage and background testimony from the women about their stories and how they have fought for their rights, viewers can quickly discern the struggles each woman faced in Afghanistan without much additional context. Furthermore, the footage interspersed in the documentary provided the reality behind the fears each woman faced—rejection, death threats, and violence are all legitimate fears each woman grappled with.
Beyond the use of historical context, the documentary’s use of editing is superb. In some ways, the documentary feels much like the show Afghan Star, where the viewer receives a short snippet about the lives of each contestant and waits with bated breath to see the conclusion of their stories. There is no instance where the documentary seems to drag in its focus—each testimonial from the women is placed with a purpose, providing insight to the plight the women face. Aryana, Sadiqa, and Zahra are given a voice through this documentary, and their determination, grit, and bravery shine through, providing models of inspiration for any viewer.
How would audiences react to this screening?
Many audiences do not have much context to the country of Afghanistan, but they do have context to the events that unfolded in the United States as well as to reality TV. Many viewers would find this film to be more familiar than they would expect, especially to see the reality TV elements present in the documentary.
What unexpected responses do you think audiences would have to this film?
Many audiences would be surprised by what the women endure and the ending of the documentary. The three women survive, but they have to evacuate from Kabul in fear of their lives. The conclusion of the documentary is a sobering reminder of the conditions of women in other countries such as Afghanistan.
What type of classroom would this documentary resource be suitable for?
This would work well for an upper-level music classroom, especially as a way to explore foreign music in a different context. This also can be used in a history classroom as an exploration of current events.