If tuned in to last night's episode of The Daily Show, you might have seen Jon Stewart soberly reflecting on the tragic events in South Carolina. Towards the end, he made what I think is an accurate comparison to our domestic terrorism and the terrorist acts committed by Middle Eastern extremist groups. And he did this as a lead-in to introducing his guest, Nobel Prize-winning activist Malala Yousafzai, a young woman who at the age of 12 was nearly killed by the Taliban for writing about the need for women's education in Pakistan.
The Taliban couldn't quiet her then, and Malala continues to spread her message worldwide, including in the new documentary, He Named Me Malala. Directed by renowned documentarian Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth, Waiting for "Superman"), the film looks at Malala's life and her continued efforts to champion for the rights of women everywhere to get an education. Here's the synopsis:
HE NAMED ME MALALA is an intimate portrait of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, who was targeted by the Taliban and severely wounded by a gunshot when returning home on her school bus in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. The then 15-year-old (she turns 18 this July) was singled out, along with her father, for advocating for girls’ education, and the attack on her sparked an outcry from supporters around the world. She miraculously survived and is now a leading campaigner for girls’ education globally as co-founder of the Malala Fund.
Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth, Waiting for Superman) shows us how Malala, her father Zia and her family are committed to fighting for education for all girls worldwide. The film gives us an inside glimpse into this extraordinary young girl’s life – from her close relationship with her father who inspired her love for education, to her impassioned speeches at the UN, to her everyday life with her parents and brothers.
He Named Me Malala opens on October 2nd.
He named me Malala by HIP in Pakistan
