Oscar victory spotlights Pakistan's grim culture of violence
When A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness won the 2016 Oscar for best short-subject documentary, the film and its director, Pakistani-born Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, were understandably feted on social media. Obaid-Chinoy’s victory was seen as a triumph for women, South Asia and the power of cinema.
The documentary details the harrowing story of a young woman in Pakistan, Saba Qaiser, who was shot in the head and left for dead at the side of a river by her father in 2014.
The act was an attempted “honour killing”, with Saba’s father apparently irate at his daughter’s decision to marry someone not approved by him.
The teenager survived and went on to seek justice, a quest captured by Obaid-Chinoy’s documentary. The film reveals a grim and tragic culture of abuse and misogyny in parts of Pakistan. In rural areas, as well as elsewhere in South Asia, honour killings and other acts of violence against women are all too common.
Women like Ms Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy are not only a pride for the Pakistani nation but are also a significant source of contribution toward the march of civilization the world over
The Pakistani government estimates that about 500 women were victims of honour killings last year, though many activists believe the number is far higher.
The tale of Saba’s ordeal has moved Pakistan into action. After the film’s Oscar victory, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif hailed its director.
