Monday 27 February 2012

Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy wins an Oscar for Pakistan

There are not many occasions for Pakistanis to feel real pride - this is one of those beautiful proud moments watching Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy lift the coveted Oscars statue along with Daniel Junge for "Saving Face' in Short Documentary category at the Academy Awards 2012.

A touching film about a topic that not many want to talk about in Pakistan. More than a 100 woman every year suffer the humiliation of acid attacks mostly in the name of Honour. The women’s “bravery and resilience in the face of adversity inspires me every single day,” Sharmeen said. “They are the true heroes of Pakistan.” 
Pakistan is proud today.

Sunday 26 February 2012

Oscars Night: Rooting for "Saving Face" and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

“The single act of throwing acid on a woman’s face completely ruins her life. It’s like the living dead, because if you throw acid on a woman’s face, she can seldom go home after that. To me, it’s the most heinous of all crimes against women.”
Says Pakistani filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy whose documentary 'Saving Face" is nominated for an Academy Award under the category of Short Documentary.

Watch trailer of the documentary




Sharmeen is aleady a winner of prestigious Livingston Award for Young Journalists (first non-American to have won), Overseas Press Club Award, the South Asia Journalist Association Award, the CINE Golden Eagle Award, as well as an Emmy Award in 2010 for Pakistan: Children of the Taliban.

Describing the biggest challenge faced by her in making of this film Sharmeen said
Although my crew and I did not face any physical danger, we did have to struggle against a mindset that accepted such extreme forms of violence in Pakistan. The Seraiki Belt, a cotton growing in the province of Punjab, has some of the lowest levels of education and highest levels of poverty in Pakistan. Prevailing mindset violence against women is acceptable. Difficult to work with such people. 
Pakistan is rooting for Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy at the Oscars tonight.