Renowned Pakistani filmmaker and Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy has been nominated for yet another award. The filmmaker has now been nominated at the prestigious 41st Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards for ‘Best Feature Story in a News Magazine’. It was Sharmeen Obaid’s Freedom Fighters which made it to the esteemed list.
The feature story has been nominated alongside Nadia for 60 Minutes by CBS and The Dropout by ABC News among others. “Freedom Fighters is dedicated to Pakistan’s brave female fighters who are not afraid of facing adversity and are entrenched on the frontlines, to create a better tomorrow for their neighbors, community, and country,” Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy shared in a post on Facebook to announce the news.
The feature film has been produced under the filmmaker’s very own banner, SOC Films Center for Investigative Journalism. Freedom Fighters is just one part of a documentary series that features four other female filmmakers who tell stories of women taking control, taking power and taking chances.
To explain the film further, Sharmeen Obaid wrote, “The short documentary film (33 minutes) interweaves the stories of three brave women – a former child bride, a police officer, and a labor crusader – who are speaking out against inequality and pushing for equal rights. It features a mix of verité sequences and animation as it follows these crusaders on a mission to create a more just country for their fellow citizens.”
Co-director for Freedom Fighters, Maheen Sadiq shared that the short film is a “testament to the strength, perseverance, and determination of a woman,” and further added, “We can all take inspiration from these powerful women who have braved their past and are now standing up for change, shaping not just their own futures, but the futures of generations to come.”
While this comes as a huge achievement for Sharmeen Obaid’s short, it is not the first feat for it. Freedom Fighters was also awarded the best documentary short award at Tallgrass Film Festival earlier and has been featured in a number of film festivals around the globe.
The nominations were announced by The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) on Saturday and the winners are expected to be announced on September 21 in an online ceremony at the Emmy Awards website.
Here’s wishing the team all the best!
