Tag Archives: short film

Muftah » Remembering Fakhra Yunus

Yesterday, approximately a month after the documentary Saving Face won an Oscar for best short film, a victim of an acid attack, Fakhra Yunus committed suicide. Saving Face explored acid attacks, and how they affect women across the world, including in Pakistan. in short, the film follows two Pakistani women as they reconstruct their lives and bodies with the help of a UK-based plastic surgeon, As some point out, despite the hopes raised by the film, Fakhra’s death is a reality check.

The reasons why Fakhra took her life are complex and cannot be reduced to the denial of justice that occurred with the 2002 acquittal of her ex-husband, Bilal Khar, an ex-member of Parliament and son of a former Punjab governor. The plain fact is that Fakhra was emotionally and physically devastated by her attack; no amount of plastic surgery could ‘save’ her, and heal her trauma. As a prominent Pakistani activist observed after her death,

“At the young age of 22 an acid attack left her only marginally alive, her horrific mutilation disfigured her so completely that she was confronted by open disgust and contempt by everyone who set eyes on her in Pakistan. she became a liability to her own family for whom she was once a source of income”.

A bill was recently passed in the Pakistani parliament that sentences perpetrators of acid attacks to between 14 years and life in prison, and a $14,000 fine. Legal provisions like these cannot, however, prevent the sense of unhappiness and barriers to a normal life that haunt acid attack victims like Fakhra. her death is a reminder that justice for the victims of acid attacks, and other violent acts against women, must go beyond legal mechanisms and address culturally nuanced questions that affect the recovery process. This includes ensuring access to plastic surgery and rehabilitative measures for women in the poorest segments of society, and addressing the complicated economic and social disincentives that women and their families face when deciding whether to jail the husband-perpetrator. for example, in many South Asian cultures, women without men are socially ostracized.

In parts of Pakistan where societies are based on feudal and tribal patriarchal values, legal measures may not be a sufficient deterrent for those who choose to commit acid attacks, as reclaiming the honor of one’s family or oneself may be worth going to jail. As the case of Bangladesh suggests, regulating the sale of acid might be more effective than trying to establish legal deterrents.

Fakhra Yunus’s suicide shows that for many victims of acid attacks, relief is not about ‘saving face’, but rather about living and dealing with the faces that have become their own. Fakhra Yunus lacked the support to do this. in order to ‘save’ these women, we must engage in a multi-pronged approach that seeks to prevent crimes like these from occurring in the first place.

 

Muftah » Remembering Fakhra Yunus

Docu-drama queens

This year’s USA Film Festival features some compelling queer content

The USA Film Festival has been around far longer than the Dallas International Film Festival — its 42nd incarnation premieres Wednesday — but it takes place for half as many days as DIFF, with fewer venues (everything at the Angelika Film Center), fewer screenings and fewer films. and that’s OK with us. In just a few days, they’ve packed several interesting gay documentaries (including the opening-night centerpiece) plus a campy short film. Add some classics and a Texas shorts showcase, and we are so there.

How to Survive a Plague (April 25 at 6:45 p.m.). Scan the pages of a publication like Dallas Voice nowadays, and the protests you’ll likely see reported as taking place in the gay community probably relate to marriage equality, the right to serve in the military, police brutality and recognition of trans rights. but 30 years ago, gay activism looked very, very different.

Back then, gay protestors were less concerned with the right to live their lives openly than the right to live, period. the AIDS epidemic — the “plague” in this emotional and fascinating documentary — dragged a lot of gay folks not only out of the closet, but into the harsh lights of the public square. where once they kept their sexual orientation secret, now that was front-and-center, as they sought funding for AIDS research, treatment with dignity even in charity hospitals and a cure which, while still not achieved outright, has at least given hope to millions of HIV-positive people who had previously considered the diagnosis a death sentence.

With the title how to Survive a Plague, it might seem to be focused on a single person, or a specific approach, but really, director David France has given us a rangy, rich festival of rare archival footage showing the breadth and desperation of a host of people who committed to stirring the pot for change.

Largely, that means those involved in ACT UP, one of the most radical groups fighting for AIDS victims. There’s no one hero here, though Peter Staley — who fearlessly faced down the likes of Pat Buchanan and Dr. Anthony Fauci (prodding him and the National Institutes for Health into more decisive action) — comes close. the righteous anger of Staley, Larry Kramer and the countless others who marched and protested because their lives were, quite literally, on the line, resonates even today with a deep, abiding respect.

For those who remember the craziness of the era, it’s an arresting reminder of how far we’ve come. (It’s infuriating to re-watch that disgusting homophobe Jesse Helms bloviating from the Senate floor with the callous hatred and lack of compassion a hunter might evince for a fox killing his hens.) For those too young to know of AIDS as anything more than a “manageable disease,” it’s a wake-up call honoring those who made that possible.

Tom Brokaw may insist that the men who lived through the Depression and fought WWII were the Greatest Generation, but for those of us in the gay community, we know different: They were at once the Greatest Generation and the Lost Generation, an entire decade of young men cut down in their prime who, with literally their dying breaths, fought for justice and dignity not just for themselves, but those who followed them. how to Survive a Plague is their elegy, and seeing it a way to pay homage to countless heroes — male and female, gay and straight — whose names you probably never even knew.

Dallas Voice Life+Style Editor Arnold Wayne Jones will moderate the after-screening Q&A session with director David France.

— Arnold Wayne Jones

Queen (part of the Short Film Showcase) (April 27 at 7 p.m.).

Nikki Holliday is a glamour gal at night, sparkling through her drag show (she even sings, not lip-synchs), but when she comes home, the realities of her life are the real drag. she and her partner have broken up, and her chance of adopting a child — she lives her life as a woman — all but gone. but there’s hope in a young man at the club…

Queen avoids the clichés of the Sad Gay Life while still managing to be poignant and very real in its portrayals of the challenges people in the LGBT community (especially trans) still face. It manages to be hopeful without tying up its message to neatly. the characters live beyond what we see.

Director Adam Rose in attendance.

— A.W.J.

The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye (April 27 at 9:15 p.m.). Evolution can take millions of years, but in this documentary, it happens under the knife as musician Genesis P-Orridge and his wife, performance artist Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge,  pursue their “pandrogyny project” to become a single entity.

A mixture of home films and guerrilla camerawork, Genesis provides the hypnotic voiceover, recounting his bio from bullied kid in Britain to frontman of industrial music pioneers Throbbing Gristle in the mid-‘70s. Glimpses into the alt-music scene are incredible, as are scenes with his mentors William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin. but the build-up runs a bit long until Genesis inhabits a sort of trans-Hitler persona.

The relationship is presented through Genesis’ eyes, as he recounts their wedding day (Genesis as the bride, Lady Jaye as groom — and proudly held on Friday the 13th). but it’s their art project that holds the most curiosity.

Instead of children, Genesis explains their idea of creating a new person out of him and Jaye. Deciding to look as much like each other as possible, they undergo cosmetic surgery to create a third being, dressing the same and tattooing moles and beauty marks in pursuit of a strange philosophy.

“This is the future of the human species,” Genesis says in the film. “Pandrogyny is a cry for survival.”Unfortunately, the film shies from delving too deep into this.

We’re given clips of them at the plastic surgeon, running around streets in bandages and exploring their breast implants. Director Marie Losier always seems on the edge of jumping into the complexities of the situation, but pulls back.

The film then reverts into a music doc of Genesis’ newest band, Psychic TV AKA PTV3. the psychology of everything that just happened is left only to his perspective and sometimes Jaye’s.

Ballad straddles the line of train wreck and mystical exploration. It’s a fascinating story of the lengths two people go through in the name of love and art, though it falls short of providing a full understanding of it.

— Rich Lopez

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition April 20, 2012.

Docu-drama queens

First Pakistani documentary-maker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy earns Oscar nomination

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012 9:37:17 by Faisal Farooq

First Pakistani documentary-maker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy earns Oscar nomination

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, the renowned journalist and documentary maker, has become first Pakistani to earn an Oscar nomination with her film ‘Saving face’, which was named in the “Documentary-short film” category.

Obaid, who has documented numerous short films, won an Emmy award, back in 2010, for her documentary, ‘Pakistan Children of the Taliban’.

Commenting about this unique achievement, she observed, “I am speechless. It has reaffirmed my belief. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, if you put quality work out there, it will be appreciated. I hope I can make Pakistan proud by bringing home an Oscar.”

The documentary, ‘Saving Face’ is the story of two women from South Punjab who became victims of acid violence.

“It’s a positive story about Pakistan on two accounts: firstly, it portrays how a Pakistani-British doctor comes to treat them and it also discusses, in great depth, the parliament’s decision to pass a bill on acid violence,” she had commented when her documentary was short-listed for nominations, back in October 2011.

According to the Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention bill, the perpetrators of acid violence will be punished with imprisonment for life, and Obaid-Chinoy has captured that aspect in her latest project.

The documentary accounts the work of an acclaimed Pakistani-origin British plastic surgeon, Dr Muhammad Jawad, as he travels to Pakistan and performs reconstructive surgery on survivors of acid victims.

Acid violence, an extreme form of physical cruelty, is systemically describe in Pakistan; official statistics state that a hundred cases of acid violence are reported annually, though it is anticipated that the real figure is far bigger.

Due to structural inequalities, the women face immense difficulties to access the judicial system in addition to hoary cultural practices.

‘Saving Face’ is shot across twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, and the small towns of Punjab. It will be on-aired in the US on March 8, at HBO, while it is due to release in the UK later that month, on selected cinemas, following which it will be released in Pakistan.

She is very brave and chooses stories that touch the heart and turns them into movies that break it. she covered many stories ranging from ranging from child abuse, violence against women, terrorism and natural disasters.

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Tags: first Pakistani Oscar Nomination, Pakistan Children of the Taliban, Pakistani, Saving Face, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, uk, US

Short URL: http://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=10387

First Pakistani documentary-maker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy earns Oscar nomination

Bayview Entertainment Enters IPOD World Offering First-Time Ever Downloadable Chats With Top Fitness Stars

Milestone Video (www.milestonevideo.tv), a video production boutique, today announced that “Autism every Day,” the short film it co-produced with director, Lauren Thierry, for the Autism Speaks organization, will make its world premiere at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival on January 21 and 22 in Park City, UT and January 27 in Salt Lake City.Selected by the Sundance Institute from among 3,287 international feature submissions, Milestone Video’s film will be showcased as a special screening in the out-of-competition section of the festival. the emotional impact of the film is conveyed with unwavering passion through Milestone Video’s signature unscripted, documentary-style approach.

Natren Healthy Friends introduces a new bilingual program to inform the Hispanic community about the benefits of probiotics supplements and to present a new business opportunity. the pioneer in probiotics, Natasha Trenev, founder of Natren Healthy Friends’ parent company, has dedicated more than twenty years in the investigation of the health benefits of beneficial bacteria, initiating the neutraceutical category known as probiotics.So, what exactly are probiotics? Think about antibiotics. Antibiotics kill bad bacteria that cause illness and infection in the body. however, they kill bad and good bacteria indiscriminately, reducing the beneficial bacteria that maintain the proper balance of the gastrointestinal system. Probiotics mean for life”. Natren Healthy Friends products, certified under the strictest quality control program, international drug GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice), are created solely from live bacterial cultures of the three most potent strains of beneficial bacteria. the gastrointestinal system is the critical pathway, beginning in the mouth with the first bite of food and ending with the elimination of all unused materials. this system is the engine that sustains physical well-being, mental alertness and a strong immune system. Reasons that might cause your body to suffer unfavorable changes in the digestive system are: antibiotics, stress, aging, poor diet, drugs or alcohol, caesarean section, radiation, eating disorders, pollution or chemical additives. some symptoms of poor digestive function are: bloating, gas, upset stomach, difficulty in weight control, Candida and other yeast problems, acidity, lactose intolerance, poor absorption of nutrients, elimination problems and, in infants, growth or weight gain difficulties. Beneficial bacteria line and protect the walls of the digestive system. When there are insufficient good bacteria, space becomes available for bad bacteria to adhere to the walls and colonize, opening the way for illness and infection. Beneficial bacteria aid absorption of nutrients to be used throughout the body. Probiotics contain only naturally occurring beneficial bacteria and are specifically formulated for human (infant, youth and adult) and pet supplementation. they have no adverse secondary side effects at any level of use. Prescription medications often treat one problem but cause another in a different part of the digestive tract because of creating an imbalance in the tract as a whole.many countries in Europe, Asia and Australia are aware of the benefits of probiotic supplementation. their government agencies recommend daily use of probiotics to enhance health. the United States and Latin America still do not have sufficient knowledge of these health benefits. the mission of Natren Familia Sana is to increase awareness, promoting better health through daily use of probiotic supplements.

As the recession continues, new figures from Confused.com highlight the levels of debt British homes are exposed to, as people owe more than they earn in a year. Research from the comparison website identifies which region claims the dubious title of ‘debt dependents’ where residents owe significantly more than they bring home. On average, for every £1.00 earned in each year’s salary, a person will owe £1.02 in debts Residents in Kingston-Upon-Thames are exposed to significant lending risk as they owe 169% of their annual income People from Manchester owe 51% in debts of every pound earned in their annual salary Surrey spenders are plastic fantastic with over £2,000 outstanding on credit cards

Americans feel more confident about the job market than they have in two years, with three-quarters saying there is little or no likelihood that they will lose their jobs in the coming year, according to a survey of more than 1,000 fulltime workers by right Management Consultants.Despite their relative security about their own jobs, Americans still believe the overall job market remains tight: Nearly 80 percent said it would be somewhat or very difficult for an out-of-work employee to find a comparably paying job. Half of that group — or 41 percent of all respondents — said it would be very difficult to land a new job at similar pay.

The Flea offers for the first time in India, the most powerful form of advertising – word of mouth and viral – to marketers dealing with a fragmented mainstream media.But what exactly is viral and word of mouth marketing?have you ever loved a company, product, or idea so much that you couldn’t wait to tell others about it? seen a horrible movie lately and told your friends not to go? tried a new type of food because a friend suggested it? Heard a story about a town that named themselves after a start-up internet company? Passed along an e-mail about a funky chicken you can command at your will? Posted or read an online review to a consumer website? If you answered yes to any of these questions you engaged in word-of-mouth communication and may have also wittingly or unwittingly participated in an organized word-of-mouth, buzz, or viral marketing campaign.

Answers, etc., a leader in financial services software, announced today that their industry-leading PowerCheck32 c 5a8 heck cashing, payday loan and retail accounting software now has the capability to also carry the Coinstar line of prepaid products and services.Approximately 3,000 financial service centers in banks, grocery, payday loan, check cashing and convenience stores nationwide will now have the option of expanding their financial services product line by offering the Coinstar (NASDAQ: CSTR) line of gift cards, prepaid cash cards, prepaid wireless, prepaid long distance and other financial products.

George Ishee, CEO and Founder of Small Steps to big Results http://www.ss2br.com was doing some research with small businesses and he discovered most did not know much about press releases or how to use them to promote their businesses. in addition, few knew how to write or publish a press release. this was a pretty shocking fact because press releases are low cost, high exposure and easy to produce providing tremendous exposure and a small businesses best friend.the research showed that most small business owners typically only thought of traditional marketing channels that are expensive, like direct mail, telemarketing, radio, cable and TV because they did not have professional help in designing the ads content, placement or coverage. Very few companies that used these marketing methods produced more profit then they invested, and that is what the small business owner wants from their marketing.

The miss five Boroughs Scholarship Organization presents “Diamonds Are A Girls best Friend” 2004 miss five Boroughs Scholarship Pageant Competition 5th Anniversary.the miss five Boroughs 2004 Scholarship Pageant Competition, is a preliminary to the miss new York State and miss America Competitions.twenty local area college students will have the opportunity to represent one of the five Boroughs and compete for the coveted title of miss five Boroughs 2004.the new miss five Boroughs 2004 will have the opportunity to compete for great scholarships and college opportunities at the exciting miss new York State Finals, held in Watertown, NY. Contestants will compete in Talent, Interview, Evening Wear, Overall Composite and Lifestyle and Fitness in Swimsuit.

KBC announces additional contract awards and return to profitability in the last quarter of 2005. Significant growth in contract awards and the forward order book drove an increase in trading activities.the most significant recent award is the $11M contract, announced in November 2005, with SINOPEC in China. several other material awards, which are indicative of the improving market for KBC’s enhanced products and services, include: Licenses for Petro-SIM software and SIM models for Cosmo Oil’s four refineries and head office in Japan. this complements the continuing Profit Improvement Programs executed by KBC at the Cosmo refineries. A redesign and upgrade of Belgian Refining Corporation’s crude oil vacuum unit. this project enables increased production of high value products and reduced production of low value fuel oil. KBC completed the feasibility study and basic engineering; we are now leading the detailed engineering phase. Technical service support at Nerefco. the provision of technical service support covering technical, operations, reliability, and maintenance functions in 2006 for the Nerefco refinery at Europoort in the Netherlands. Nerefco is a joint venture between bp (69%) and Texaco (31%). Operational excellence at Sasol. the implementation of operational excellence within production planning and scheduling for Sasol Synfuels in South Africa entails developing planning processes, creating a broader awareness within the planning team of the business drivers, and upgrading the planning systems to better reflect these business drivers. this project is a part of a broader, multi-year operational excellence initiative across Sasol site operations. Signed contracts in the order book average anywhere from a few months in duration to three years. Revenue from these projects is expected to be around $28.6M (£16m) in 2006, with the balance running into 2007 and beyond. we are confident that the strengthened order book, together with the opportunities for further contract wins in the current market environment, should ensure that the improved trading performance continues in 2006.

Due to lack of customer interest, GoCeilingMedallion.com will no longer offer Marie Ricci products on any of our sites. “We had anticipated a greater response from our customers; however, that response has not been realized,” reports product manager Bob Tomaskovic.Differences over marketing strategies, along with low margins, was also a major factor in this decision. “It is unfortunate that sometimes these differences are unable to be worked out and so we both felt that it was in our best interests to end the relationship,” states President of GoCeilingMedallion.com, Pat Tomaskovic.

On October 8, 2006, thought-leaders in the education space from around the globe will gather online for Global Learn Day X, a celebration of innovation in the field of education.Global Learn Day is the Earth Day of learning around the globe. in its 10th year, Global Learn Day brings together speakers from around the globe online to address how they are improving access to education in their part of the world. Starting in the South Pacific, where the planet begins the new day, the event voyages west to Hawaii, a long way around the world. Along the way the event will feature truly exceptional people from all 24 time zones who patch in via telephone; Skype; voice-over-IP, streaming audio, streaming video, text chat, ham radio, and conventional radio, all downloaded to people’s desktops or telephones. Global Learn Day has attracted appearances from some of the most remote places on the planet, including both North and South poles, the far outback of the Sahara, and high up in Nepal.

Creative Manager inc. (http://www.Creative-Manager.com), provider of Creative Manager Pro software, has announced version 8.4.05 of its flagship product, Creative Manager Pro®.the integration with Apple’s Mac OS X iCal and Microsoft’s Outloook allows users of Creative Manager Pro to send calendar meeting requests, even to those who are not using Creative Manager Pro, and have the invitation show up in the invited person’s Apple Mac OS X iCal or Microsoft Outloook calendar.”Integration with outside systems is an important features that our Fortune 500 clients have asked for. this new release beats our competitors on yet another feature,” boasts Ron Ause, Creative Manager’s director of marketing, “proving once again that we continually respond to our clients’ needs.”

Utah is the land of entrepreneurs. It ranks in the top few states for entrepreneurship.the rate of failure for small businesses is also high.how can a new business deal with all the work it takes to take care of customers, suppliers, limited budget and still get our and network to create business relationships?It is a big challenge and it gets expensive to attend all those business networking lunches and breakfasts.the problem is, business networking is key if you want to grow a business.

February 1st marks the official opening of Peg Moves first office in the United States, choosing Seattle, Washington as its home base for the US hospitality industry.Peg Moves is an Executive Search and Placement firm that specializes in recruiting for major restaurants and hotels in North America. Peg Moves brings together an experienced and trusted team of hospitality recruitment consultants under one roof. its prime objective is to match hospitality clients with candidates searching for opportunities in Careers that Fit.

DALLAS, TX (PRWEB) January 19, 2006 –- CBG Safety & Surveillance Technology, a national retailer of the highest quality safety and surveillance products on the market is pleased to announce the unveiling of its newly updated corporate Website (http://www.cbgsurveillanceequipment.com). the new Website will allow both existing clients and new customers added convenience and efficiency for searching out and purchasing top quality and affordable security and surveillance equipment 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

As soon as Hoodia Gordonii was recognised as being a potent natural aid to help with weight loss, the major herbal manufacturers started to bring various Hoodia based supplements to the market.then, as interest grew, major US and UK television stations ran documentaries about Hoodia, resulting in dozens of “smaller players” springing to life, producing their own “mini-branded” products.As competition has grown, some facts have been marketed as fiction, with some fiction, being marketed as Hoodia fact.

Onesia inc. introduces Orealia™, its real-time 3D rendering software solution. Orealia™ provides architects, engineers, designers, computer graphics artists and hobbyists with the tools they need to eliminate physical prototyping. the result of years of research, Orealia™ allows professional designers to easily review and present photo-realistic 3D models in their real-life environment. Orealia™ is available, at an affordable price, in two versions: Orealia|PRO for the individual designer and Orealia|PREMIUM for collaborative environments. Orealia™ is compatible with the most popular native CAD formats for both Mac and Windows.

SourcePlus PCX and PCX Elite help maximize efficient supply chain management from manufacturer – to distributor – to healthcare provider by utilizing the Internet as a communications and procurement medium and providing access to collaborative online order management tools. It can be accessed anywhere and meets material management needs of facilities looking for complete visibility into its supply chain.”We are excited to add a company with McKesson Medical-Surgical’s reputation and industry presence, as we continue to increase the healthcare community’s awareness of the many benefits SourcePlus PCX offers over the manual sup 00004000 ply chain process,” said Scott Palmer, president and COO of SourceMedical’s Surgery Division. “Utilizing Electronic Data Interchange we are able to provide our mutual customers with a superior supply chain management process with more accurate pricing, fewer drop shipments, and reduced order discrepancies.”

While some are grabbing a board and hitting the waves, others are grabbing a board and hitting the books. one of Tamarindo’s long-time Spanish language institutes is offering novel packages that include daily surf lessons.Spanish students learning to surf in Tamarindo Costa RicaTamarindo has become the center of activity in the North Pacific region of Costa Rica. Luxury communities have sprouted like weeds dotting the oceanfront and hillsides, and no wonder, Tamarindo has world-class sport-fishing, golf, sailing, ATV tours, horseback riding, diving, beauty spas and… well you get the picture. you could pick a worse place to learn Spanish.

BayView Entertainment announces today the availability of the 10 Minute Fitness Feature, a series of podcasts for the iPod with the many fitness and dance instruction experts that BayView represents. the first podcast is with fitness legend Gilad and will go live on February 21, 2006. Future podcasts will feature interviews and tips from Christi Taylor, Kelly Peters, Mindy Mylrea, Debra Bono, Elise Browning Miller, Kellie Marie, Ronnie Coleman and many others.the equivalent of downloadable radio talk shows, podcasts can be subscribed to for free through programs such as Apple’s iTunes which notifies subscribers when new programs are available. Users will also be able to download the 10 Minute Fitness Feature through every other major podcast directory on the internet as well as a direct link from the BayView Entertainment website. the podcasts are MP3 formatted and are usable on all portable audio players as well as desktop and laptop computers.

Bayview Entertainment Enters IPOD World Offering First-Time Ever Downloadable Chats With Top Fitness Stars