KARACHI - Oscar-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy has said that her film ‘A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness’ showed Pakistan’s best as well as the worst side.
Ms Chinoy was speaking during a press conference held at a local hotel here on Saturday.
She said a big achievement of hers was that Pakistan was now focusing on the issue of honour killing. “Pakistan is now talking about honour killing,” she said. “I wanted to make a film on this topic since our religion and our cultural values forbid oppression against women,” she added.
She said she wanted a news from Pakistan with which she could work on. Chinoy also revealed how she had come across the story and its victim on whom A Girl In The River: The Price Of Forgiveness is based.
“Saba is my hero since she gathered the courage to talk about her story and narrate her ordeal to us,” she said. “She was shot in the face and hand but still was able to get out of the river and help herself,” she continued.
Ms Chinoy said countless murders had been occurred throughout Pakistan in the name of honour but were not reported in the media. She also announced that a new series of hers was about to release on a private television network.
She also spoke about how it was necessary to encourage those who were doing good for the country. “When I was growing up, I heard stories from my elders about how they had sacrificed so much for Pakistan. They gave their lives for the country and also left their lands and migrated here for a new country. I think the younger generation of our country is taking us back to that right path again,” she said.
Ms Chinoy said it was very important for the country to encourage the right kind of people.
“We must make heroes and role models of those people who are doing good and encourage them so that the younger generation has someone to look up to. We must inspire people. If we do not do this then I am afraid that we cannot move forward. In Jinnah’s Pakistan, there is no place for honour killing,” she added.