The Taliban’s assassination attempt on 14-year-old Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai in October 2012 has brought discussions concerning girls’ education in Pakistan to the forefront. On Friday February 1st, director Hemal Trivedi will present her short documentary, Shabeena’s Quest, chronicling a principal’s struggle to educate young Pakistani girls marginalized by their male oppressors. The feature touches on themes of education, patriarchal culture and female liberation, and will be followed by a Q/A with Trivedi.
Born and raised in an inner-city, or chawl (ghetto) of Mumbai, India, Hemal Trevedi has become a renowned documentary filmmaker and editor. Her work has been featured on PBS, BBC, Discovery Kids, HBO, and Al Jazeera. Most recently, Hemal edited Saving Face, the 2012 Academy Award winner for Best Short Documentary.
This Director’s Screening is presented by Developments in Literacy, a nonprofit that builds and operates schools and develops innovative solutions for quality education. It is cosponsored by the Levantine Cultural Center, Muslims for Progressive Values, CODEPINK: Women for Peace, and Global Girl Media. The event will be held from 7-9 p.m. at the Levantine Cultural Center located at 5998 W. Pico Blvd. Los Angeles CA 90035. The event is open to the public with a suggested donation of $10/$5 students.