Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is Pakistan’s first Oscar nominee

E-Paper | October 02, 2026

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is Pakistan’s first Oscar nominee

Dawn.com Published January 24, 2012

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Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is the first Pakistani to receive an Oscar nomination. —Photos courtesy Sharmeen Obaid Films

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy became the first Pakistani filmmaker to earn an Oscar nomination with her film Saving face, which was nominated in the “Documentary, short film” category as the Oscar nominations were released on Tuesday.

Obaid, who has directed several documentary films, won an Emmy award in 2010 for her documentary Pakistan: Children of the Taliban.

Saving face, which the Karachi-based filmmaker has co-directed with Daniel Junge, depicts the life of a British Pakistani plastic surgeon who donates his time to heal acid victims in Pakistan.

The film is set to be released in March this year, while the Oscars will be held on February 26.

Entertainment

Jan 24, 2012 09:40pm

Taliban, acid attack victims...just what Pakistan needs...more negative publicity woldwide ! Thank you Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

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Uzma

Jan 24, 2012 10:23pm

Am so very proud of Sharmeen! Rooting for her! Bring that Oscar home!!

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Riaz Haq

Jan 24, 2012 10:46pm

This is a very well-deserved recognition. Congrats to Sharmeen for her great service to Pakistan.

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Saqib Sadiq

Jan 24, 2012 11:52pm

It's really a pride for Pakistan that Sharmeen has been nominated for Oscar. Hope this trend continues and our country gets recognition at the awards.

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Jan 25, 2012 12:20am

Well done, Sharmeen...it is events and performances like these that bring the real Pakistan to the fore.

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Rajiv

Jan 25, 2012 01:54am

Has anyone seen her documentaries... not many from pakistan would like to send them to oscar

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Vaqar Raees

Jan 25, 2012 02:37am

I feel proud of any Pakistani achievement.

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Nasser Ali Khan

Jan 25, 2012 04:13am

Well done Sharmeen! We all wish you success InshaAllah.

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Muhammad Farooq

Jan 25, 2012 07:42am

Congratulations to Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy for this great achievement :) Keep up your good work. Cant wait to see Saving Face.

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Zia R Qureshi

Jan 25, 2012 08:19am

Awesome - Congratulations on a job well done... Best of luck for all future endeavors... Wishes-n-Prayers, Zi@ - NY

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Sadia

Jan 25, 2012 09:33am

Proud of her!

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hira

Jan 25, 2012 11:16am

hurray

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Aamer Farooqui

Jan 25, 2012 11:12am

Hey Ur Short film's OSCAR nomination is a really fresh air for the nation who is on Death bed. Allah Almighty Bless u

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Annie

Jan 25, 2012 11:28am

Way to Go Sharmeen ..... Pakistani women the best among the rest .....

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maya

Jan 25, 2012 12:06pm

congratz.....well done

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zinnia khan

Jan 25, 2012 12:23pm

Proud of u.keep up the good work.hope u win

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abubakar

Jan 25, 2012 12:37pm

BEST OF LUCK PAKISTAN ZINDABAD :)

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Muhammad Junaid

Jan 25, 2012 12:56pm

Proves that Pakistan has soo much talent. Very Proud

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mkhan

Jan 25, 2012 01:25pm

Well done Sharmeen !! This is a great acheivement for Pakistan!

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M. Shehryar

Jan 25, 2012 02:17pm

Congrats !!!!you make us proud!!!

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khurram Masih

Jan 25, 2012 02:48pm

God blessed you,you must win the Oscar Award becoz you deserve it.Hopefully you will win,my pray with you.Amen

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yasir

Jan 25, 2012 03:22pm

congratulation sharmeen obaid.and needs to pakistan talented people.

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Ahmad

Jan 25, 2012 03:29pm

If that documentary related to beauty of Pakistan or something like that it never consider for Oscar. Western media only wants to promote our negative points and our so called N.G.Os and our media is helping their hands to present our country like a horrible state to the world so don’t appreciate like that people. Now everybody is thinking about Oscar nobody think about the impact what is going to create the world opinion about Pakistan. Definitely it will be create a negative point for Pakistan.

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Reelz

Jan 25, 2012 03:53pm

Great news. Wish you all the best. Praying that you get an Oscar

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Rafae

Jan 25, 2012 05:40pm

Great news for the Whole Paksiatanis .....Keep up the spirit high...

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imran vohra

Jan 25, 2012 05:43pm

woh,,,,,,,,,It’s really a pride for Pakistan nation whcih are alreay in tension to attend thousand of different issue belong to pakistan but that Sharmeen has been nominated for Oscar. Hope this trend continues and our country gets recognition at the awards.imran karachi,,,,,,,,

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Jan 25, 2012 06:19pm

Well done, every Pakistani is proud of you!

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Samreen

Jan 25, 2012 07:36pm

Dear Ahmad, This is the true face of Pakistan. This is the face of men in our society! This is the face of the brutality, violence and degradation women in Pakistan face on a minutely basis! Grow up. Pakistan is in the news because this young lady is highlighting this important issue to bring about awareness!

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indian

Jan 25, 2012 08:02pm

So now atleast you will stop calling us 'slumdogs.' Mumbai on the contrary is home to 22 million. Its still rare to find unemployment in the city. Neither are there frequent power-cuts or water shortages. One of best managed cities in the world which uses public transport to the maximum. Dabbawalas of Mumbai are a fine example in management at macro & micro levels. Yet 'Slumdog' happened. To speak the truth, it is inevitable when a city has so many millions of floating population. Before fingerpointing therefore, one has to ponder how many cities have such a successfully operating support structure like Mumbai.

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Osman

Jan 25, 2012 08:48pm

When acid attacks actually STOP in Pakistan then maybe Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy will make documentaries about something ELSE. Instead of criticizing the film maker, why don't you criticize the people who are committing these atrocities?

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Usman

Jan 26, 2012 12:03am

Great job. I read little about your film story. You are pointing really a hot topic in Pakistan (Acid Face).

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abid swalehbhai

Jan 26, 2012 11:25am

thks, u gave a positive msg to the world about v pakistani's. all prayers for u.

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Sanam

Jan 26, 2012 12:04pm

I am so proud of you for highlighting this issue. It is disgusting that we as a nation have allowed men who commit these atrocities to get away with it for so long. They deserve the strictest punishments and their victims, our complete support and sympathy. As for those who think this will show Pakistan in a negative light, I say, Yes, it will and it needs to so that the powers that be and the general apathetic public wake ups and speaks out against it . You wouldn't be considering its impact on the western mind if your sister , daughter or mother was the victim of such an attack

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Faraz Butt

Jan 26, 2012 02:20pm

Ahmed@i am agree with you.This is fact that european only highlight the negative things which is in our country and also they blame us on muslims so we should be think about why they are giving oscar award,wht was the story behind it.

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fahim

Jan 26, 2012 03:08pm

It's good to rise high. Do bring out your best. We need to highlight the hidden facts as they are, not only to make our society realize the problem areas but also to address these. Congrats...!!!

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daniyal nagi

Jan 26, 2012 04:14pm

Well Done,You have brought a honour to the country

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Amber Malik

Jan 26, 2012 04:46pm

Sharmeen its great to know that you got the nomination for Oscar. It shows how much Pakistani are competent and ambitious. Arfa is one who make Pakistani proud and we all work hard for our country. May be will do something for our country because our politicians damage our country name a lot. its our time and May Allah help us.

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shahnaz

Jan 27, 2012 01:19pm

So proud of sharmeen for bring international attention to this applling act. FM you need to know issues can only be addressed if they are visual, Islam promotes equaliy so why not bring this issue to an end by highlighting it as a problem rather than brushing it under the carpet. Sharmeen has also shown that Pakistan Muslim female can bring themselves and there country in the international arena to be supported by people like British Pakistani plastic surgeon who gave these victims his time and used his skills of surgery to enable victim to participate in sociaty.

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Rao Abdul Rauf

Jan 28, 2012 07:45pm

Great. It is so nice of you that you made us proud. your success proves that we Pakistani are competent and ready to meet current challenges. Pakistani female can do every thing like women of other societies.

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Aqdas

Jan 29, 2012 08:20am

Hurray for Pakistani Smith Alums! So proud of you!

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Muhammad Iqbal Khan

Jan 29, 2012 11:15am

Sharmeen, you make us feel proud for taking up this important subject in your documentary.Hope all those who are responsible for this cruelty will be ashamed of themselves and the concerned authorities will bring them to book efficiently.The perpetrators of such heinous crimes deserve maximum punishment.

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Jan 29, 2012 05:35pm

It looked 2012 could be a very good year for Pakistan, Hi Sharmeen you surprised all of us with your good work, keep up. Pakistan cricket looked in great shape. Salam won Nobel Award, Pakistan developed Nuclear Technology

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ahsan

Jan 30, 2012 11:28am

thats really good.. its been a pleasure for every pakistani.. nice!!!!!

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Safia

Jan 31, 2012 12:24am

I'm so proud, not only is she Pakistan's first oscar nominee, but she is a WOMAN! Mashallah! Such a role model for females everywhere!

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saulat khan

Feb 01, 2012 12:33pm

great acheivement.

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