Islamabad, 15 June 2022 (TDI): Several Women Filmmakers from Pakistan received awards and honors at the 2022 Women’s Empowerment and Religious Freedom Film Competition for their short films narrating the stories of women and their different struggles.
Zeenat Bibi from Peshawar, Pakistan was awarded the grand prize in 2022 Women’s Empowerment and Religious Freedom Film Competition for her short film titled “She Stood Against Religious Extremism.”
The 1st and 2nd runner-up were won by Khalida Niaz from Peshawar, Pakistan for “Peace Promoters” and Eleni Spiru from the USA for “Without Fear,” respectively.
The grand prize winner receives a $3,000 cash prize, the 1st runner-up $1,500, and the 2nd runner-up $500.
She Stood Against Religious Extremism by Zeenat Bibi:
She Stood Against Religious Extremism recounts the tale of a young woman who undertakes an effort to combat sectarian violence and religious extremism by hosting discussion sessions with young people of various faiths and religions in a war-torn area of Pakistan.
Peace Promoters by Khalida Niaz:
In the film Peace Promoters, a young Pakistani woman combats violence motivated by religion by cultivating connections with leaders of other faiths.
Without Fear by Eleni Spiru:
The film Without Fear depicts the story of a Pakistani American woman’s battle to overcome injustice and fight for religious freedom.
Projects submitted for the competition:
Thirty women who participated in Empower Women Media‘s Pakistan Media Training Fellowship produced the media projects submitted to the film competition.
These remarkable Pakistani women received professional training on creating contextualized digital media for their community and key officials over six months while also learning about freedom of religion or belief.
Remarks of the Director:
Shirin Taber, the Director of Empower Women Media said, “We were amazed to witness the tenacity and creativity of the Pakistani women filmmakers. They took risks to share their women’s empowerment and religious freedom stories. Their films have the potential to change lives and shift the culture at large. We need more women media advocates like them!”
Winners of Global Religious Women’s Empowerment and Religious Freedom Award:
In addition to the top three films, “Hidden Identities: The Forgotten Women of Ceylon” by Soraya Deen from Sri Lanka and the USA, won the Global Religious Women’s Empowerment and Religious Freedom Award.
Winners of the Inclusion and Diversity Awards:
The short films “A Thousand Reasons to Smile” by Anita Inayat from Lahore, Pakistan, and “A Helping Hand Across Faiths and Countries” by Jamaima Afridi from Khyber Pakhtunkwa, Pakistan won the Inclusion Awards.
In addition, “A Story of a Cyclist from Skardu” by Saira Zahid from Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, and “Gurdwara Siri Singh Saba, Quetta” by Rani Wahidi from Quetta, Pakistan won the Diversity Awards.
“She Means Change,” a social media campaign created by Ayesha Shaikh from Sukkur, Pakistan also won the Inclusion and Diversity Social Media Award.
The Judges:
Empower Women Media invited nine highly respected judges to review the short films, including Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation; Dr. Brian Grim of the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation; Ed Brown, Secretary General of Stefanus Alliance International, and other leading voices for religious freedom.
Dr. Karen Leslie Hernandez, Programme Officer in Partnerships and Interreligious Education, Religions for Peace International, was also among the judges. According to her, “Empower Women Media’s Religious Freedom Film Competition allows for a small glimpse into the phenomenal and tireless work that women are accomplishing in South Asia to ensure equality in regard to religious freedom and the practice of religious beliefs without persecution.”
“Behind and in front of the camera, this competition supports, ensures and empowers a vital platform for these important voices to be heard and it gives the viewer a rich and wonderful learning experience as well,” she added.
Moreover, another judge, Annie McKinney, the Director of Communications and Operations for the IRF Secretariat, said, “What you all are doing is incredible and inspiring, and being a young woman in IRF myself, just to put it simply, thank you.”
Screening of the films:
The winning films will screen before civil society and faith leaders at the IRF Film Festival and Roundtable in Islamabad, Pakistan, on June 19th. Selected films will also be showcased at the IRF Summit in Washington, DC, June 28-30.
This is the fifth annual Religious Freedom Film Competition sponsored by Empower Women Media in association with the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation.
Honorable Mentions:
The following movies received honorable mentions:
- “IRF Karachi Summary” by Wagma Feroz from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
- “Together We Go Farther” by Samantha Javed from Rawalpindi, Pakistan
- “Live What You Believe Screenings in Pakistan” by Jamaima Afridi from Khyber Pakhtunkwa, Pakistan
- “She Fills Her Color in the World” by Summen Patras and Nargus Azhar from Lahore, Pakistan
