Frontrunner

Subtitled The Afghan Woman Who Surprised the World, filmmaker Virginia Williams' Frontrunner follows Dr. Massouda Jalal for four years (starting in 2002) as she campaigns for the office of President of Afghanistan. Jalal's aim remains constant: to return her country to the more peaceful place of her youth through the promotion of national unity (she finishes a respectable second in the provisional election). Although working mother Jalal doesn't see a conflict between her candidacy and Islam—on a radio show, she cites several other female Muslim leaders, such as Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto (a victim of assassination in 2007)—some of her countrymen feel otherwise. In one district, police remove her posters from the walls, then offer to put them up again after a journalist questions them about their actions. Frontrunner contrasts Jalal's campaign (the only female runner) with those of the other 16 candidates, notably the media savvy Yunis Qanooni and U.S.-backed winner Hamid Karzai. Jalal receives support from men and women across a wide range of age groups (and geographical locations), including some voters known for their more conservative politics. Combining archival and contemporary footage and stills, along with interviews of U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, U.N. representatives, human rights workers, literacy advocates, campaign strategists, and ordinary citizens, Frontrunner offers a fine portrait of one committed woman, while also reminding us that while the road to democracy may be worth traveling, it invariably features numerous potholes and speed bumps. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)