It’s not the first time this Pakistani-Canadian director has brought home Oscar gold, but it was definitely memorable.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy won for best Short Subject Documentary at Sunday night’s Los Angeles event.
Her documentary A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness, deals with the subject of so-called honour killings in Pakistan.
Photo Credit: The Academy.Saba from A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness.According to the Academy Awards’ website, more than 1,000 women and girls are the victims of religiously motivated honor killings in Pakistan, every year.
The subject of the documentary, 18-year-old Saba, was targeted by her father and uncle when she eloped after falling in love. Somehow, she survived to share her story.
This was the second Academy Award for Obaid-Chinoy who won in the same category in 2011 for her film with Daniel Junge called Saving Face.
While she might not be as well-known as some other Oscar winners, her work has definitely had a powerful impact.
"This week the Pakistani Prime Minister has said that he will change the law on honour killing after watching this film,” said Obaid-Chinoy, during her acceptance speech. “That is the power of film."
“This is what happens when determined women get together.”
