Islamabad - Highlighting human rights through cinematography, United Nations Information Center (UNIC) will hold a film screening ‘ZAHIDA’ here on November 29, at the Centaurus Cineplex. The event is being arranged in celebration of 70 years of Universal Declaration of Human Rights in collaboration with European Union. The film shows will be held in different cities including Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Mardan, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Gujrat, Quetta, Multan and Swat from November 25 to December 10.
The film revolves around the life of Zahida Kazmi who is the first female taxi driver in Pakistan and a local legend. Independent, feisty, street-wise, she is a master hustler. Twice a widower and 56 years old, she is fighting to make a living on the dusty roads of Rawalpindi. Also a mother to 7 years old Zara, she continually juggles her home life with behind the wheel.
Reciting beautiful poetry in quiet nostalgic moments off the road, Zahida reflects on her fate. Zahida is a fascinating insight into the trials faced by a determined woman carving her own path within a patriarchal society.
Meanwhile, another film ‘Truth Detectives’ will be screened at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on November 26 by UNIC and the Embassy of the Netherlands . Directed by Anja Reiss, the film explores that all around the world, human rights activists, journalists and lawyers collect evidence of human rights violations - with the help of the people affected.
Using mobile devices to film and photograph their experiences, they become digital witnesses. Amateur videos of bombs exploding, people being abused or even shot dead, are distributed almost in real time via social media. These criminological investigations have only one purpose: to bring to justice those who violate human rights. These criminological investigations have only one purpose: to bring to justice those who violate human rights. These films are part of the 4th edition of the international film festival ‘Human Rights through Cinematography’, taking place from 25 November to 10 December 2018. As many as 27 thematic documentaries will be screened in Gujrat, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Mardan, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi and Swat. Documentaries are focused on the universality of human rights and related human stories across the world. Among the key themes are freedom of expression, minority rights, gender equality, access to justice and death penalty. Screenings will be followed by discussions with film makers, journalists, government and civil society representatives and human rights defenders.
