Search for freedom

Sonita

From the stories of an Afghan refugee in Iran who dreams of becoming a big rapper to the awe-inspiring vérité documentary of a young Afghan woman's brave fight to seek justice; from an empowering portrait of three determined women in the Middle East leading the fight for gender equality and freedom to a story that traces the dramatic social and political history of Afghanistan from the 1920s to 2003 through the stories of four remarkable women - these are some of the many stories from the war-torn land of Afghanistan that the world must watch right now. What's even interesting is that these are made by women.

Among the nine films that will be shared online for free viewing are stories on the first woman member of parliament, the first women video journalists in the country, the story of a woman fighting against sexual abuse and winning in the courts and the triumph of a female rapper over child marriage. In an e-mail interview, Women Make Movies' executive director Debra Zimmerman says, "The Taliban's history is one of suppression and violence, and does not give one hope for their freedom. This context is important as we contemplate how to support women in Afghanistan moving forward. As the rights and lives of women in Afghanistan are threatened, it is important for people all over the world to hear the voices of Afghan women. The films in our collection, which have been curated over decades, tell the history of the country through the perspective of Afghan women and their lived experiences - their triumphs as well as their challenges. We hope people will watch these films and realise that we must support women's human rights in Afghanistan."

Stills from Sonita

Till August 31
Log on to www.wmm.com
Free

Debra Zimmerman