Empower Women Media honors women who artfully and compellingly explore the impact of freedom of religion and belief (FoRB) in their workplaces and communities through short films.
Films submitted to the film competitions came from thirty women who took part in Empower Women Media’s Pakistan Media Training Fellowship. For six months, these talented Pakistani women learned about Freedom of Religion or Belief and received expert training on how to produce contextualized digital media to reach their communities and world class leaders.
Film Competition Winners
The Losing Side
$3,000 Grand Prize Winner, by Syeda Kashmala
In this film, four women decide to take the road less traveled. After being forced to convert and marry, they decide to raise their voice against this injustice. The system fails them but their loved ones stand by them, hoping for better legislation and future.
I Choose Who I Am
$1,500 First Runner-Up, by Maria Rahim
Preetika, an Indian immigrant in Pakistan, struggles with the challenges of being a minority while navigating her deep-rooted faith in God. Her personal journey voices the complexities of identity, belonging, and spirituality in a foreign land.
Bridging Faiths
$500 Second Runner-Up, by Azra Nafees Yousafzai
Bridging Faiths follows a group of women from different religions as they come together to challenge misconceptions and promote dialogue, unity, and understanding.
Additional Awards
Daughters of Abraham
Global Award, by Nada Higuera & Heidi Basch-Harod
“Daughters of Abraham” is a poetic documentary that follows the journey of two women – Palestinian-American and Israeli-American – as they commit to connecting and humanizing each other in the midst of violence and war.
Resonant Rhythms in Hunza, Pakistan
Best Music Award, by Nadia Zartaj
In this compelling tale of resilience and empowerment, young girls in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan excel in traditional music at a school that balances religious freedom and business, highlighting their hidden talent and cultural perspectives.
Maman-Joon’s Garden
Best Storytelling Award, by Ara Asgarian Hurtado
In the absence of their father, a girl recalls their discussions on religion, striving to share his liberating perspective with her younger sister.
Scarred Beauty: The Resilience of Survival
Best Advocacy Award, by Rezvan Moghaddam
Filmed in Iran, Zivar, a woman of remarkable beauty, tells of her survival and fight for justice after a brutal acid attack orchestrated by her brother-in-law. Zivar’s story serves as a powerful symbol of resilience against violence and oppression towards women.
Melodies of Resilience
Best Production Award, by Wagma Feroz
This documentary delves into the remarkable journey of Khushi Mahtab, a talented Afghan musician who fled Kabul in the wake of the Taliban’s resurgence. With the Taliban’s oppressive regime imposing severe restrictions on women’s rights, education, and artistic expression, Khushi’s decision to leave her homeland became not only an act of survival but also a quest for freedom.
Vanishing Voices: Forced Conversions in Pakistan
Women’s Empowerment Award, by Sobia Ali
Real-life narratives of forced religious conversions and abductions of minority girls in rural Sindh, Pakistan reveal a widespread and alarming trend.
Bell of Death and Torture in the Morn of Kabul
Best Activist Award, by Atefa Ghafoory
An Afghan young girl who organized demonstrations against the Taliban and fought for justice and equality was arrested, tortured, threatened and faced near-death experiences in her unwavering pursuit of a better future for Afghan women. She is Tamana Zaryab Paryani.
Harmony in Diversity
Best Diversity Award, by Jamaima Afridi
The Pak Minority Organization in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa champions the rights of minorities, particularly women. In this organization, women from different faiths—Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims—work together to foster a safe environment and empower minority women through various training programs and workshops.
Enduring Equality: 170 Years of Iranian Women's Struggle
Best Champion Award, by Fariba Parsa
For 170 years, Iranian women have struggled for their human rights. Empowering brave Iranian women through leadership skill development is a key strategy to make their dream a reality.
Her Strength
Best Inclusion Award, by Ruba Rihani
In a time when women and men have equal rights on paper, how is that being implemented on a societal level? This brief documentary explores the issue from a socioeconomic and individual psychological perspective, highlighting the roles we carry and contribute as a society together without relying solely on the government.
Unveiling the Cut: A Survivor’s Journey Against FGM
Sobia Ali
This poignant film depicts the true-life story of Sobia’s friend to shed light on the critical issue of FGM – which affects more than 200 million girls across 31 countries – and advocate for its eradication.
Reclaiming Humanity
Maryam Moradi
When humanity is forgotten, innocent people become victims of injustice. That is why we need to protect and defend human rights.
Raising Voices: Safina’s Journey to Inclusion
Najia Mir
Raising Voices: Safina’s Journey to Inclusion” follows Safina Javed’s three-decade-long advocacy for women’s rights and religious tolerance in Pakistan, highlighting her commitment to inclusivity and empowerment.
Tears of Kabul
Mariam Ayub
Follow the courageous journey of an Afghan Sikh parliamentarian as she confronts discrimination, adversity, and migration, carrying the soul of her homeland across continents.
Women. Life. Freedom. Athlete Abuse.
Poppy Farsijani
Iranian Olympic athletes reveal abuse and human rights violations committed by the Islamic Regime that forced them to leave their home country, live in exile, and compete under another flag.