"It's not a person who shot Malala, it's an ideology." So states the film, "He Called Me Malala," a documentary that tells the extraordinary story of the youngest person to ever win the Nobel Peace Prize, Malala Yousafzai, whose extremely close brush with death at the hands of the Taliban has made her a world-renowned voice for women's education and rights. The film is directed by acclaimed director Davis Guggenheim, who helmed Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" and "Waiting for Superman," a lauded documentary that explores the failings of the American educational system, according to The National Arts and Lifestyle.
The film's title alone, "He Called Me Malala," suggests that the film explores not just the extraordinary girl who defied the Taliban's demands that women should stop going to school, but the family behind her as well. Her father, Ziauddin, for one, is prominently featured in the film, being the man who decided to name her after a 19th century Afghan heroine who rallied Pashtur fighters against British invaders during the Battle of Maiwand in 1880, reports Variety.
What makes the film poignant and powerful is the fact that it does not give moral judgment on the people who attempted to end her life, nor does it attempt to condemn religious extremism. Rather, it focuses mainly on intimate insights of the remarkable titular girl; a side of her that has not been revealed or depicted in the news thus far.
With scenes that feature genuine moments of a family whose life was forever changed after Malala was shot in the head by the Taliban, reviews claim "He Called Me Malala" is poised to become one of the most notable documentaries that will be released this year.
Distributed by Fox Searchlight, the film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on Sept. 4. It is set to be released in the United States on Oct. 2, according to The Business Insider. National Geographic has also acquired the rights to broadcast the film after it finishes its run in the theaters, where it will be broadcasted in 171 countries in 45 languages.
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