CANNES -- Young Iranian director Samira Makhmalbaf presented her quietly profound new film, Panj E Asr (Five O'Clock In The Afternoon), in the official competition. It is the story of a humble peasant woman who, despite abject poverty in the aftermath of war, aspires to be the future president of Afghanistan. She carefully exercises her freedom to return to school with the overthrow of the repressive Taliban regime.
But Makhmalbaf, while her film never gets overtly political or judgmental, was in no mood yesterday to thank the U.S. for leading the invasion which defeated the Taliban. She said the Taliban's repression is still in operation.
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