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)