49. OSAMA
 
Afghanistan
dir. Siddiq Barmak
world premiere 2003
U.S. release 2004
 

 
Because notwithstanding the indisputable topicality in 2003 of this Afghani drama (a genus that barely extends beyond this film), it's the form and style that allow the film to hold up: the segues between documentary reality and subjective perspective, the empathetic but unstinting attention to the young actress's face, the awful intractability of her dark destiny.