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 our annual competitions are created by filmmakers who took part in Empower Women Media’s Media Training Fellowships. During a six-month fellowship, these talented filmmakers learned about Freedom of Religion or Belief and received expert training to produce contextualized digital media to reach their communities and world class leaders.
The Losing Side
$3,000 Grand Prize Winner
Syeda Kashmala
I Choose Who I Am
$1,500 First Runner-Up
Maria Rahim
Bridging Faiths
$500 Second Runner-Up
Azra Nafees Yousafzai
A Blue Sky
$3,000 Grand Prize Winner
Miriam Kwairanga
Kill Bibi
$1,500 First Runner-Up
Kongs Shamaki
My Liberty
$500 Second Runner-Up
Dolapo Aderinokun
Strength Despite Everything
$3,000 Grand Prize Winner
Dilpak Megeed (Iraq)
Unity
$1,500 First Runner-Up
Azadeh Nikzadeh (Iran / USA)
Hope to the Hopeless
Community Engagement Award
Heather Mercer
She Stood Against Religious Extremism
$3,000 Grand Prize Winner
Zeenat Bibi (Pakistan)
Peace Promoters
$1,500 First Runner-Up
Khalida Niaz (Pakistan)
Without Fear
$500 Second Runner-Up
Eleni Spiru (Pakistan)
She Makes Everything Beautiful
$3,000 Grand Prize Winner
Wagma Feroz (Pakistan)
A Taste of Freedom
$1,500 First Runner-Up
Meshair Jirdeh (France/Saudi Arabia/Somalia) & Terri Marie (USA)
Switch On
$500 Second Runner-Up
Yamini Ravindran (Sri Lanka)
Long Road to Freedom
$3,000 Grand Prize Winner
Mariya Dostzadah Goodbrake (Afghanistan/USA)
A Taste of Freedom
Grand Prize – Animation
Maral Karaee (Iran/Canada)
Her Factor
First Runner-Up
Ruba Abbassi (Jordan)