Girl Unbound

Girl Unbound: The War To Be Her captures a woman who is at risk of being killed simply for being herself: a woman and an athlete. I believe that at the heart of the human condition, we just want to be ourselves and be seen for that. Maria has fought for this her whole life.

Maria’s story immediately drew me in with the question: how much do we risk to be ourselves? And when I met her family who has always supported her, how far would you go for your loved ones? This transcendental story felt both personal and universal all at once: How do you find your way as a woman when society delivers an expectation that is different than your own? In her case, like all Tribal women, the line is definitively drawn: keep yourself covered, unseen, unheard, uneducated, or you will be killed. Theses lines may not be as obvious in more developed areas in the world, but collective expectations still restrict many women’s lives. Over the course of filming the last few years, Maria’s resolve to keep being who she is, doing what she loves, and helping others along the way has been beyond inspiring. No journey in one’s life is ever black and white, nor completely finished at any given point. She bravely let us into her moments of vulnerability, questioning, and digging deeper inward and outward. The courage of her and her family opening their lives to the potential consequences of this film is a testament to their belief in what is right: All human beings, regardless of gender or where they are from, should be treated equally.

This bravery from Maria is what I channeled when I made the decision to go into the Tribal Areas. I put myself in harm’s way – by being a woman, an American, and carrying a camera without security or permission. But if Maria can live most of her life under threat of being killed for who she is, then I can certainly do it as a filmmaker, and be who I am. As a filmmaker, I encountered unexpected advantages to being a woman filming in these areas. It was not customary for women to speak at the military checkpoints or to strangers who would question who I was or why I was there. Maria’s father handled these inquiries. Thus, I did not have to reveal my language or accent and was able to access areas unavailable to many foreigners. At times when it became suddenly unsafe to have my camera exposed, my dupatta (the long veil that is common for women to wear in the Tribal Areas and indispensable to my cloaked identity) easily hid my camera and audio recorder as it sat on my lap. In certain situations it was advantageous to have the women cinematographers with me, as they would only be appropriate to film other women in their homes. At other times, the male cinematographer would be the only acceptable person in a formal situation with men present. In these moments when I could not openly communicate as my face was completely covered except my eyes, I would direct through eye contact alone and signal to him where the camera should be pointed. And with the slightest movement of my head I was able to convey a wide shot, close up, or if the angle should change. Like all documentaries, you adapt to the circumstances. Maria’s family has adapted to their life now, which is full of threats and impending danger at every turn. But they do not let this hinder their precious moments together – many times, gallows humor would find its way into a long night’s drive at the exact moment we all needed a little laughter to lift our spirits. In these times of Islamic extremist groups terrorizing our world, Maria’s family shows that their belief in Islam, “the real Islam” as they refer to it, only steers them to do good in the world. I met some of the most compassionate and giving people in the Tribal Areas of Pakistan.

I hope this film gives a human face to the everyday people who live in constant fear of these extremist groups, drone strikes, and in severely impoverished circumstances with little opportunity out of it. These people opened their homes and hearts to us in support of this film. Many of these people, especially Maria’s family and the filmmaking team, put their lives on the line for this story. I believe it is one worth sharing.