Shot in the head and left for dead by Taliban thugs last October, Malala Yousafzai has become a beacon of hope and a champion of education for girls. "We will speak for our rights," the 16-year-old told the United Nations General Assembly in an inspirational address last Friday, "and we will bring change through our voice."
Now her voice, and her message, will be amplified through a feature-length documentary film that will go into production later this month and will be directed by Academy Award winner Davis Guggenheim. Parkes + MacDonald Productions will make the film with Image Nation, a division of Abu Dhabi Media (which publishes The National), providing another example of the emirate's emerging film business.
Speaking at the UN, Malala noted humbly that the UN-designated Malala Day is "not my day … thousands of people have been killed by the terrorists and millions have been injured. I am just one of them."
She offered a simple remedy for the ignorance and savagery that nearly killed her: "Let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons." They are indeed, and a film that helps spread her message will be a worthy adjunct to this important mission.
