Film on Pakistan's minorities awarded in Venice

Titled "Hum Saya," it tells the stories of three girls who were kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam in order to marry their captors. Director Dawood Murad wanted to emphasize the importance of solidarity among those experiencing the same marginalization. The director of the Centre for Social Justice, which produced the film, "I hope it will contribute to positive change in the world."

Lahore (AsiaNews) - A Pakistani film on violence against religious minorities has won the award for best short documentary film on human rights at the Venice Intercultural Film Festival, held annually between June and July at different venues in the lagoon. It is "Hum Saya" (meaning "neighbor"), produced by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), an organization that has been working for years on democratic development and social justice for marginalized groups in Pakistan. The film will be screened in several international locations, including Venice itself on June 23 and at Oxford University's Kellogg College on June 16.

"Hum Saya" weaves together the true stories of three Pakistani girls who were kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam in order to marry their captors, showing how, for Christian and Hindu minority believers, the constitutional right to religious freedom is constantly violated.

The film also shows the ordeal faced by the girls' families. Director Dawood Murad wanted to emphasize the importance of solidarity among those experiencing the same marginalization: neighbors who live in the same neighborhood and under the same circumstances as the victims often provide the first line of protection for the girls.

Also appearing to illustrate the systematic violations of minority rights is Lal Chand Malhi, a well-known former parliamentarian, who says young Christian and Hindu girls in Sindh and Punjab provinces are forced to restrict their freedom of movement to protect themselves. 

CSJ in 2022 reported 124 incidents of forced conversions and marriages. Among these in 59 percent of cases were underage brides while in 28 percent of cases the age was not reported. Violence against Christians, Hindus and Sikhs does not stop: up to May this year at least 39 cases of forced conversions have been reported. 

"I am very pleased and excited that CSJ's documentary has been recognized worldwide, and I hope this film will contribute to positive change in the world, especially in Pakistan," Peter Jacob, director of the humanitarian organization, told AsiaNews. "I am very grateful to everyone who contributed to the making of 'Hum Saya,' and I especially thank the families of the victims who agreed to talk to us about these issues and recorded their interviews and statements. They are really brave people. 

"Forced conversion in Pakistan," he continued, "is a reality and with this video we tried to show it to the world. Let us continue to voice these issues and all human rights violations in unison and contribute to positive changes for the well-being of society."