On Her Shoulders
Presented by SFIFF and Sky Cinemas
Showing October 1 at 6:30pm
NR • 1h 35m
A film by Alexandria Jo Bombach
With Nadia Murad, Murad Ismael, Amal Clooney
About the film
Including a Q & A with director Alexandria Jo Bombach. Winner of Sundance's Best Direction of a Feature Documentary along with numerous major awards.
This is the story of an everyday young woman who survived unspeakable atrocities, and the sacrifices and personal pain she experienced while being thrust onto the international stage as the voice of her people and receiving the highest honor bestowed on a human.
This brilliant documentary follows the story of Nadia Murad, a remarkable young Iraqi woman from the Yazidi ethnic community who survived being kidnapped, beaten and repeatedly raped by ISIS soldiers in the course of its genocidal slaughter of Nadia's community in 2014. Nadia escaped and became the voice of the atrocities perpetrated against women in war-zones, testifying before the U.N. together with Amal Clooney and in massive media coverage of her personal story that brought global attention to the issue. In 2018, Nadia was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. In the astute, sensitive awareness and skill of director Bombach, the film transcends the usual documentary to explore the impact of Nadia's activism on her psyche. The film rescues Nadia from being reduced to a simple media headline or token symbol, honoring the profound exhaustion and emotional toll of her relentless advocacy while capturing the heartbreaking loneliness behind the endless cycle of UN speeches, press conferences as well as the comforting presence of her ally, Murad Ismael.
This is an unusually revealing and moving film on many levels and a unique opportunity to participate in what promises to be an insightful discussion with the film's director.
This is the story of an everyday young woman who survived unspeakable atrocities, and the sacrifices and personal pain she experienced while being thrust onto the international stage as the voice of her people and receiving the highest honor bestowed on a human.
This brilliant documentary follows the story of Nadia Murad, a remarkable young Iraqi woman from the Yazidi ethnic community who survived being kidnapped, beaten and repeatedly raped by ISIS soldiers in the course of its genocidal slaughter of Nadia's community in 2014. Nadia escaped and became the voice of the atrocities perpetrated against women in war-zones, testifying before the U.N. together with Amal Clooney and in massive media coverage of her personal story that brought global attention to the issue. In 2018, Nadia was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. In the astute, sensitive awareness and skill of director Bombach, the film transcends the usual documentary to explore the impact of Nadia's activism on her psyche. The film rescues Nadia from being reduced to a simple media headline or token symbol, honoring the profound exhaustion and emotional toll of her relentless advocacy while capturing the heartbreaking loneliness behind the endless cycle of UN speeches, press conferences as well as the comforting presence of her ally, Murad Ismael.
This is an unusually revealing and moving film on many levels and a unique opportunity to participate in what promises to be an insightful discussion with the film's director.
