Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy Films’ latest documentary, A Life Too Short debuted at the 11th edition of DOC NYC, America’s largest documentary festival.
Narrating Qandeel Baloch’s life chronicles majorly her journey on digital platforms, the masterpiece is the epitome of socially motivated content that openly poses a challenge on the narrow mindset of boundaries of a conservative Pakistan.
Nominated under the category ‘Short List: Shorts’, the section showcases a selection that the festival’s programming team considers to be among the year’s strongest contenders for Oscars and other awards.
Directed by Safyah Zafar Usmani and co-directed by Saad Zuberi, A Life Too Short highlight’s the honour killing of Qandeel Baloch where her brother smothered her to death for being vocal about her sexuality through her sensational social media presence.
“There is no honour in an honour killing, really,” Usmani says. “As long as the honour killings are continuing in the world I feel like we need to continue to make this noise and keep talking about it over and over and over again,” she concluded.
Perhaps the most popular case of honour killing in Pakistan, Baloch’s youngest brother had drugged and strangled her to death in the name of family’s honour in 2016.
The shocked but not surprised expression gripped the entire nation where the people who openly criticized Qandeels scandalous action when she was alive, condemned her honour killing.
The culprit (Qandeel’s brother) in the much-hyped Qandeel-killing case was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.
A Life Too Short was acquired by MTV Documentary Films earlier in October 2020, as part of an exciting lineup that tackles the social, political and cultural topics affecting the immediate lives and future outlooks of young people today.
Court rejects Qandeel Baloch parents forgiveness plea for now
