SHAME: This documentary follows the last five years in the life of Mukhtaran Mai, a Pakistani woman of remarkable integrity and tenacity. And talk about emotional honesty! Oh, heck, just plain honesty. Raped on the orders of a tribal council, in retaliation for her younger brother's alleged misconduct, this uneducated illiterate woman (who had nonetheless memorized the Quran) raised her voice in protest and, with the help it must be said of at least one man in the village, a cleric who took up her cause, made the government stand up and pay attention and (unwittingly!) fund a school. Which is to say that what Mai decided to do with the decidedly small amount of money the government awarded her in recompense was to use it to start the very first school in her village. The entire story is remarkable. And inspiring. And I cried through the whole thing, the tears just would not stop. Which is not to say that I was saddened; on the contrary, I was cheering her on all the way. You will too. If you have the chance, you must see this film.
CELEBRITY SIGHTING: Mukhtaran Mai herself, who answered audience questions through the filmmaker, who acted as her translator. A male, Pakistani, filmmaker, by the way. And there was one fellow in the audience who stood to proclaim how much she made him *proud* to be Pakistani. Wow. As for me, I am in awe.
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Rosie and I agreed (while waiting for Express Stops to begin), that Shame was the top screening we both saw - a great documentary that truly tells a story and has you walking out of it knowing that one person can change the world. I was blessed with sitting with the film's editor and her family. One of the things that struck me very powerfully was the extreme youth of the filmmaker and the other film techs involved (who were all there the night I saw it - it's first screening at the festival). It gives me hope that the world will change in the next generation.
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