Pakistani director, Shameen Obaid Chinoy, won Pakistan’s first oscar for the short documentary, Saving Face, about Pakistani women disfigured by violence and their fight for justice. The film features women victims of acid attacks, burnings, and other violence and the efforts of many to make such acts crimes punishable by life in prison. It also features the inspiring work of a Pakistani plastic surgeon who found new ways to rehabilitate the victims. This is a well deserved award for a courageous director and the women who were willing to share their stores. The link below highlights the film. I hope everyone can see it.
4 thoughts on “Short Documentary on Pakistani Women Disfigured by Violence Wins Oscar”
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Even though I only got to see a small trailer promoting the film, it was still very inspiring and heart-warming that there are still people out there trying to make the lives of these women being abused all over the world better. It is disgusting and really unbelievable sometimes what these women are put through. One of them had lost an eye, another had been burned alive in her home. It amazes me how cruel the human race can be towards one another. But, like I said before, it is really motivating to know that a man among that population sees the atrocities being done to these women and is trying to help them and get them justice, as well as a new face.
I was shocked when I first saw this film! It is so frightening to know that many women have very little rights and cannot even feel safe in their own home. I decided to search a little more on the topic for further aid to these victims and found the ASF (Acid Survivors Foundation). According to the Acid Survivors Foundation, there have been some steps taken by the Pakistan government to help women, such as making acid throwing a state crime and punishable from fourteen years to life in jail and a fine of 1,000,000 rupees (http://acidsurvivorspakistan.org/). If you would like to read this article as well as many more, please visit: http://acidsurvivorspakistan.org/
Thanks for the post. I stopped watching awards shows a long time ago–view them as yet another way to stroke the egos of people who do need any more ego-stroking. Thus, it is great to see an important win.
I’m glad this documentary has came out to publicly show the unprovoked violence women receive and hopefully this is a step in the right direction, not only for improving the lives of the women who are being helped by the doctor, but also so that women in the future will not face such harsh treatment, and that these men will be properly punished.