KARACHI, Feb 27: One could almost hear the countless Pakistanis who were glued to their TV sets from early Monday morning screaming with joy as the Oscar awards presenters announced the winner in the best documentary short subject category, Saving Face. It was truly a momentous occasion.

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy had turned a new page in the history of Pakistani media. What impressed many was the poise and calm with which she delivered her speech. It was politically correct and emotionally unfettered, yet her words moved many watching fellow-Pakistanis to tears. She thanked the protagonists of her documentary, victims of acid-throwing incidents, and the plastic surgeon Dr Mohammad Jawad who has treated several such unfortunate souls. As the world looked on, she

concluded by saying, “All women of Pakistan working for change, don’t give up on your dreams – this is for you.”

Born in Karachi, Ms Obaid-Chinoy studied at the Karachi Grammar School, and went abroad for her higher education, graduating with a master’s in International Policy Studies from Stanford University. She earned recognition with her very first documentary on the plight of Afghan refugee children in 2002. But it was her second venture, ‘Reinventing the Taliban’, which catapulted her to fame, winning her international awards, including the Livingston Award, the first time it was ever awarded to a non-American.

Ms Obaid-Chinoy’s next big venture was a documentary on the women’s movement in Saudi Arabia titled ‘Women of the Holy Kingdom’ which earned her the South Asian Journalist Association Award. It was when she showed clips of the film at the recently held Karachi Literature Festival, that one realised that many of her own countrymen had not seen her documentaries.

Scenes from ‘Women of the Holy Kingdom’ made many viewers sit up and take notice, as well as appreciate the courage of the filmmaker.

After that Ms Obaid-Chinoy worked on some projects for UK’s Channel 4. Her documentary ‘The New Apartheid’ focused on post-apartheid South Africa, whereas ‘Birth of a Nation’ looked at the conflict-ridden region of East Timor.

Following the release of ‘Children of the Taliban’ which dealt with the radicalisation and recruitment of the youth by the militants, Ms Obaid-Chinoy became a well-known name in her own country, particularly when the documentary won an Emmy, the most prestigious US award for television.

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has co-directed Saving Face with Daniel Junge.