Saving Face (2012 film)
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| Directed by | Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, Daniel Junge |
| Produced by | Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy Daniel Junge Davis Coombe Alison Greenberg Sabiha Sumar |
| Starring | Dr Mohammad Jawad |
| Music by | Gunnard Doboze |
| Editing by | Milkhaus |
| Distributed by | HBO |
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| Country | US/Pakistan |
Saving Face is a 2012 documentary film directed by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy and Daniel Junge about acid attacks on women. The film won the 2012 Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject), making its director, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Pakistan's first Oscar winner.[2][3]
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Synopsis [edit]
The film follows London-based Pakistani plastic surgeon, Dr. Mohammad Jawad,[4][5] as he journeys to Pakistan to perform reconstructive surgery on survivors of acid violence.[6] Saving Face also broaches the subject of the under-reporting of acid violence against women due to cultural and structural inequalities towards women from Pakistani men.[7] The film also features two women attacked by acid and their struggle for justice and healing.[8] The Acid Survivors Foundation of Pakistan, which is featured in the film, had documented over 100 acid attacks a year in Pakistan but estimates far more due to lack of reporting.
Obaid-Chinoy has also stated that the film is "a positive story about Pakistan on two accounts: firstly, it portrays how a Pakistani-British doctor comes to treat them and it also discusses, in great depth, the parliament’s decision to pass a bill on acid violence".[9] Obaid-Chinoy has also said that the film assisted in the trial and conviction of one of the perpretrators of acid violence on a female victim. [10]
Production [edit]
Obaid-Chinoy chose the subject of acid violence after being contacted by Junge, who had already filmed portions of the documentary prior to their discussion. Obaid-Chinoy commented to the Wall Street Journal that "The subject matter immediately appealed to me: Acid violence impacts women in southern Punjab and changes the lives of hundreds of women each year."[10] The documenters initially had some difficulty contacting and gaining the trust of the survivors in the film as well as connecting with the local community, but stated that "once we had spent a considerable amount of time on the ground and had established relationships, we did not experience any further obstacles."[11]
Controversy [edit]
Obaid Chinoy has faced criticism over allegations that she promised acid victim Rukhsana assistance in the form of money, a new home, and plastic surgery in return for participating in the film. Rukhsana filed a lawsuit against Obaid Chinoy stated that the director made her sign blank documents and that the film resulted in her husband evicting her from her home and her family ceasing communication with her.[12] Obaid Chinoy refuted the claims, replying that she did not promise Rukhsana any assistance and that Rukhsana had turned down offers to have Jawad operate upon her.[13] The Acid Survivors Foundation and Rukhsana filed a civil suit to keep Saving Face from being shown in Pakistan, to which Obaid Chinoy agreed to honor despite having airing rights, due to fears of acts of violence against acid victims.[14]
Awards [edit]
Saving Face won the 84th Academy Awards for Best Documentary (Short Subject).[15]
Saving Face won the best documentary prize at the 2012 SAARC Film Awards.
Nominee for the Gucci Award for Women for Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy director of documentary 'Saving Face'.
Saving Face won Best Documentary at the New York Indian Film Festival.
See also [edit]
- Fakhra Younus, acid attack victim who committed suicide shortly after the film won its award.
References [edit]
- ^ Sharmeen Obaid’s documentary ‘Saving Face’ nominated for Oscars Daily Times
- ^ sharmeen-obaid-chinoy-is-pakistan%E2%80%99s-first-oscar-nominee.html Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is Pakistan’s first Oscar nominee Dawn.com
- ^ Acclaimed Pakistani filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy and her film “Saving Face” officially nominated for Best Documentary, Short Subject for the prestigious Academy Awards Fashioncentral.pk
- ^ Saving Face With Acid Attack Surgeon Mohammad Jawad huffingtonpost.co.uk
- ^ Saving faces in Pakistan guardian.co.uk
- ^ Oscar nominated film features pioneering Pakistani surgeon Pakistan Observer
- ^ Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy dreams of Pakistan's first Oscar BBC
- ^ A world of heartbreak — and hope — in Oscar short docs Washington Examiner
- ^ First Pakistani documentary-maker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy earns Oscar nomination Acid Survivors Pakistan
- ^ a b ‘Saving Face’ Filmmaker on Shooting Documentaries in Pakistan
- ^ Saving Face at the Oscars Express Tribune Blog
- ^ Sharmeen Obaid did not fulfil promise of Rs3m, plastic surgery: Acid victim The Express Tribune
- ^ Whose face are we trying to save? The Express Tribune
- ^ Acid-attack survivor sues Sharmeen Obaid, filmmaker refutes claims Dawn.com
- ^ Pakistan Wins Her First Oscar The Gaibian Post
External links [edit]
- Saving Face at the Internet Movie Database
- Official film page
- Saving Face at Women Make Movies
- Acid Survivor Trust International
- Acid Survivors Pakistan
- Islamic Help Website
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