Survivors of acid attacks whose plight became the focus of an Oscar-winning documentary now fear ostracism and reprisals if the film is broadcast in Pakistan — with some taking legal action against the producers.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy made history earlier this year when she won the country’s first Oscar, feted across the country for exposing the horrors endured by women whose faces are obliterated in devastating acid attacks.
The Acid Survivors Foundation Pakistan (ASF) had cooperated on the film but some survivors now fear a backlash from the conservative corners of the country and are taking legal action against the producers.
“We had no idea it would be a hit and win an Oscar. It’s completely wrong. We never allowed them to show this film in Pakistan,” said Naila Farhat, 22, who features fleetingly in the documentary.
She was 13 when the man she refused to marry threw acid on her face as she walked home from Independence Day celebrations. She lost an eye and her attacker was jailed for 12 years.
After a long, painful recovery, she is training as a nurse.
“This is disrespectful to my family, to my relatives and they’ll make an issue of it. You know what it’s like in Pakistan. They gossip all the time if they see a woman in a film,” said Farhat, taut skin where her left eye dissolved.
“We may be in more danger and we’re scared that, God forbid, we could face the same type of incident again. We do not want to show our faces to the world.”
Lawyer Naveed Muzaffar Khan, whom ASF hired to represent the victims, said legal notices were sent to Obaid-Chinoy and fellow producer Daniel Junge. The survivors, he said, “have not consented for it to be publicly released in Pakistan”, adding that such agreement was required for all the women who featured in the film, no matter how fleetingly.
Khan said the producers had seven days to agree not to release the film publicly in the country, or he would go to court to seek a formal injunction.
“They (survivors) were absolutely clear in their mind in not allowing any public screening as that would jeopardise their life in Pakistan and make it difficult for them to continue to live in their villages,” he told AFP.
But Obaid-Chinoy insisted the women signed legal documents allowing the film to be shown anywhere in the world, including Pakistan.
She told AFP that Rukhsana had been edited out of the version to be shown in the country out of respect for her concerns, adding she was “unclear about the allegations” and would respond to the legal complaints “when a court orders us”.
Rukhsana was not reachable for comment.
“The accessibility is so wide scale, the chances are their lives are going to be threatened,” said the lawyer, Khan.
The producers promised that profits from screenings in Pakistan would go to Zakia and Rukhsana, but the row also hints at deeper differences between film-makers trying to tell a story and charity workers on the ground.
The 40-minute film focuses on Zakia and Rukhsana as they fight to rebuild their lives after being attacked by their husbands, and British Pakistani plastic surgeon Mohammad Jawad who tries to help repair their shattered looks.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 24th, 2012.
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Sharmeen Rocks. These people are just simply jealous. Sharmeen has done a wonderful work for the country and for raising awareness for the ills prevalent, and which we very conveniently tend to forget. I hope she continues to do so and not get herself embroiled into issues raised by such sickos.
It's not about research and its not about the pride Ms.Chinoy brought to Pakistan, its about the position of the victim today.More than 8,500 cases of acid attack and violence against women were reported in 2011 and countless go unreported. Its about the cat fight over fame when the real winner should have been the cause and not the person or the Oscar. What has been done for the victims post the Oscar, has the shame of Pakistan got justice, compensation or a just a clause in a law of 14years imprisonment against a lifelong disability of the victim. Like these petitioning victims what dignity or safety or privacy or health do they have.The numbers are not coming own, any campaign to raise at funds nationally or coordination of NGOs working to become a lobby against the govt to pass a Bill against it. It should be campaigned as an unIslamic practice and culturally unacceptable in an Islamic country like Pakistan.
Trust Pakistanis to turn anything positive to negative. Sharmeen made a documentary on a harsh issue and by this very act she raised awareness for the same. Of course she got fame and recognition as well, whats wrong with that. Some of the comments are saying she should work to eradicate the problem, well she has at least done something, the rest of the people are just sitting on their backside.
As for the issue about the acid burn victims' desire that this film is not shown in Pakistan, well this can be resolved between the victims and the producers mutually. Whatever the outcome, it doesnt decrease the importance of what Sharmeen has done in the first place.
Sorry a correction to the number of victims reported it was wrongly typed as 85000 but should have been 8500. Thank you.
@Ayesha Ali: I agree she's doing such a fantastic job! It's so sad to see the educated sound so uneducated!
Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy is an asset to the history of Pakistan
I have heard SHarmeen speak at conferences and what she is doing is commendable ! This woman is a walking talking example of how all PAkistanis should be! shame on all of you for criticizing her.. You want to criticize then do so on your so called leaders who are leading PAkistan to HELL! she has created awareness in the WHOLE WORLD . People are donating openly to help this cause and instead of praising her and helping her.. You people sitting on your computers are bashing her? Why don't you get up and get out of your houses and do something positive for a change
@Critique: the film is financed by HBO, it was intended for foreign audiences.
Oh and aniya and Tahira you women really haven't done any research at all have you? During her tour, Sharmeen has been raising awareness and money fr these women and have been trying to give these women an opportunity to recreate their lives and start new. But of course you didn't know that because you probably haven't seem the film. You seem like educated individuals act like it.
It is absolutely disgraceful that after all of Sharmeen's hard work, the people of Pakistan are willing to bash her at the slightest opportunity. Reading the comments it is appalling that the citizens of Pakistan are shallow enough to not give this woman who has bestowed so much pride on our country a fighting chance. She is an Academy award winning documentary producer at least give her the courtesy of making her case before assuming she is guilty. obaid- chinoy did something remarkable the day she put Pakistan on the map again for a good cause and I refuse to let some corrupt organization undo all her hardwork and celebrity. Perhaps people should do their research before taking everything at face value. Be an educated Pakistani.; it is no wonder that we take one step forward two steps bAck if we can't even appreciate and support the people who work to bring light to issues of social justice. obaid- Chinoy we are behind you, thank you.
Thats it? Where is the voice of sanity? Where are the intellectuals? Where is the award winning angel? What did she actually do for the betterment of the acid victims? Another commercial use of poster childs. Shame on those who financed their oscar using the plight of poor Pakistani women. I hope they go through something similar and i hope i be the one to win an oscar. After all, who does not like walking on the red carpet?
It would be bad if Sharmeen put these poor women in trouble.
As in her Oscar receiving speech Ms.Chinoy said , the award is for women of Pakistan but correct me if I'm wrong but a few class conscious who share and cat fight over it's fame and fortune.I'm actually surprised Ms.Chinoy did not give any benefit or financial proceeds to the acid victims themselves or be an activist for the cause. Slumdogmillionaire created so much buzz in the press that the director had to take care of the families esp educaton of the children filmed most were slum dwelling Muslims and they regularly are featured in the press to see their condition. Like an old story Fakhra killed herself out of loneliness and neglect in Italy, the victim remained a victim. Where is the acid victim in all this and real crusaders working, the press has a duty to bring justice and compensation to them.
It is so sad to see the acid burnt victims being used for personal gains. Sharmeen has very conveniently walked away with the Oscar leaving behind the core issue. She used these victims for her own glory and fame which should be condemned. She should have had a better vision and should have worked for the eradication of this cause rather than projecting it to the world and showing a grim face of Pakistan and winning the Oscar at the cost of these victims.
Who knows the rich had out witted the poor victims for personal glory and fame. Some personality traits of truing others misfortunes into personal gain gets sharpened over time when practised abundantly during formative years. It seems MS CHINOY is very good at it and she knows it for a long time how to convert miseries even personal fabricated ones into financial gain ,sympathy and popularity.
Hail the Hero.
I highly doubt any legal documents were involved. I'm surprised how Ms. Chinoy knew from the start that she'd be airing this documentary outside of Pakistan in the first place.