Malala's documentary premieres at TIFF

'The Last of the Sea Women' follows heroic Korean women divers

For all filmmakers and actors showcasing their best upcoming work, the Toronto Film Festival (TIFF) is the latest place to be. Which is how Malala Yousufzai, youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize winner, and now executive producer of the documentary The Last of the Sea Women, found herself on the red carpet at TIFF, beaming as she talked about the innate strength of 'haenyeo', the stars of her debut film.

Just who are the haenyeo? They are heroic Korean women divers in their 60s, 70s and 80s who can hold their breath and swim to the ocean floor to forage for food. Using only wetsuits, masks, flippers, baskets and hooks, the haenyeo support themselves by fishing off South Korea's Jeju island. With their livelihood now under threat as climate change threatens the seas, The Last of the Sea Women, directed by Sue Kim, explores this traditional matriarchal community, which has existed for centuries but is now at risk.

"I was looking for stories of women," shared Malala in an interview with AFP. "I wanted stories of their resilience. And when I heard about this project from Sue, I was like, 'This is exactly what I'm looking for'."

According to Malala, the commitment of these Korean divers serves as an inspiration. "When I look at the stories of the haenyeo, it inspires me to think about the possibilities and the capabilities that women have in their bodies and minds," she said. "They have inspired me in so many ways, in their activism and in how they are cooperating with nature, how they have built the community."

The film shows underwater footage of the women at work, and also features them speaking candidly about their difficult job, which involves holding their breath underwater for up to two minutes. Illustrating the magnitude of their work, the documentary goes on to explore how the haenyeo are attempting to breathe new life into their culture through training and social media outreach, and how they work together to prevent overfishing.

The Last of the Sea Women enjoyed its world premiere at TIFF on September 8. The trailer dropped on Apple TV+ on Thursday, and the full documentary will be available for streaming on the platform from October 11. As per The Hollywood Reporter, the documentary is produced by Malala through her own production banner Extracurricular Productions. Also producing is Kim and Erika Kennair, with Nicole Stott, Emily Osborne, Harry Go and Marissa Torres Ericson executive producing.

This may be Malala's debut feature-length film, but it is not her first producing project this year. Along with Hilary Clinton, Malala also served as executive producer on Suffs, the musical about the American women's suffrage movement, which opened on Broadway on April 18. Malala also enjoyed her debut acting role in a cameo during the second season of the UK Channel Four show We Are Lady Parts, which was released on May 30. In 2023, meanwhile, Malala also produced the short documentary Stranger at the Gate, which explores Islamophobia and was nominated for an Academy Award.

Now that she has firmly embraced the entertainment industry and worked in Hollywood, Broadway, as well as the UK, the activist also pledged her support and admiration for Pakistani artists. Speaking on the red carpet at TIFF, Malala stressed the importance of supporting local artists in her native country.

"I support all Pakistani artists at every opportunity, and I think everyone should," she noted. "There are so many wonderful artists in Pakistan, and they all deserve to be appreciated. We should support them as a producer and as a director, and as audiences, we should watch their shows. There are already so many wonderful TV dramas and so much talent - we can take the Pakistan entertainment industry so much further."