HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (Diya TV) — This year’s edition of the Academy Awards has been full of controversy since nominations were announced — criticism was drawn after the Academy nominated all white actors for awards for the second consecutive year. While the main narrative focused on the slighting of films such as “Creed,” “Straight Outta Compton,” and “Concussion,” Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s triumphant night received some shade of its own.
Obaid-Chinoy collected her second Academy Award — this one for her short feature documentary “A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness.” The film documents the healing process of a survivor of an attempted honor killing in Pakistan. After Obaid-Chinoy accepted her award, she delivered an emotional speech about the power of women and film and using both to bring change to her home country. Before Sunday’s award show, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, screen the film at his residence in Islamabad, and repeated his previous comments of bringing to an end the practice of “honor killings” in Pakistan.
While Obaid-Chinoy was celebrating, some folks on social media became so enraged by the win that they began circulating the hashtag, #WeDisownSharmeen . Major criticism was drawn because, according to those whom were offended, Obaid-Chinoy’s documentary only showed the negative side of Pakistan and the supposed overshadowing of other praise-worthy Pakistanis in favor of herself.
#WeDisownSharmeen libtards are celebrating as Pakistan's wrong image is being portrayed internationally? pic.twitter.com/wrBoyzwm7X
— Farah Vaseem (@CodeName_FV) February 29, 2016
https://twitter.com/SarzameenPk/status/704220510670987264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/waheedgul/status/704216897743671296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Soon thereafter, the hashtag began trending in multiple countries. Next, Obaid-Chinoy’s defenders came out of the woodwork, chastising the critics, and defending her work on the film. Most importantly, according to those who appreciated the film, Obaid-Chinoy’s work gave a voice to the voiceless.
https://twitter.com/ZehriRubina/status/704322465888124928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
#WeDisownSharmeen? We? Who? The same brigade who propagate against Malala? The same who are against Women protection bill?
— Shiraz Hassan (@ShirazHassan) February 29, 2016
https://twitter.com/iKhuzaima/status/704297106937401344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Sharmeen didnt throw acid on the victim in Saving Face nor did she shoot & throw A Girl in the River. She only gave a voice to the voiceless
— Aunty Pakistan (@AuntyPakistan) February 29, 2016
