Filmmaker Documents Tragedy and Redemption for Pakistani Woman
The Imperial Theatre presents “Shame” with Producer/Director Mohammed Naqvi as part of the Southern Arts Federation’s Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers. The screening takes place at the Imperial Theatre, Saturday, September 6th, 2008 at 7:30PM. Following a screening of his documentary, Shame, Naqvi will engage the audience in a discussion about the film and his work as a filmmaker. A pre-screening reception with the filmmaker for all ticket holders is scheduled for 6:30PM. Tickets are available for $8.00/$5.00 for students and military. Series tickets are available as well for the 6-film Southern Circuit Tour for $40.00/$25.00 for students and military. For advance tickets go to www.imperialthatre.com and select “Purchase Tickets” or call the box office at 706-722-8341. The box office will open at 6:30pm the day of the show. For information on the film series please see www.imperialtheatre.com/movieshtm.
In the summer of 2002, in a remote village of Pakistan, thirty-year-old Mukhtaran Mai’s life changed when the village tribal council sanctioned a punishment against her for a crime allegedly committed by her younger brother. Following the tribal custom of “honor for honor,” Mai was gang-raped and then publicly paraded around as an example. Her family cowered in shame. The village shunned her. Normally, the only recourse for such a woman would be suicide. Instead, Mai set out to seek justice and shook the very core of Pakistan’s decaying judicial system. Naqvi’s compelling documentary beautifully portrays Mai's tragic journey and redemptive transformation into a human rights icon and a local leader for social change. “Shame” has received numerous awards, including a Television Academy Honor presented by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
Born in Montreal and grew up in Canada, the United States and Pakistan, Naqvi’s other notable films include “Terror’s Children,” which launched the Discovery-Times Channel, and “Big River,” for which he served as producer, working with renowned Japanese director Takeshi Kitano. His work has been showcased in numerous film festivals, including the Toronto International Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, and at additional venues such as the United Nations and the Museum of Modern Art. Just some of the awards Naqvi has received include an Overseas Press Club of America Award, Amnesty International Humanitarian Award, EBS International Documentary Festival Special Jury Prize, and a Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Award. He is also an AFI: Project 20/20 fellow, an initiative co-sponsored by the NEA, NEH, the U.S. State Department, and The President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. Currently, Naqvi heads the programming at his production company, Tight Media, where he develops and produces programming for several networks including MTV, Current, CNN, and CBS-Paramount.
The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers is a program of the Southern Arts Federation, a not-for-profit regional arts organization making a positive difference in the arts throughout the South since 1975. Southern Arts Federation is supported by funding and programming partnerships with the National Endowment for the Arts and the state arts agencies of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. For more information on the Southern Arts Federation and its programs visit www.southarts.org.
The Imperial Theatre is the only historic theatre operating in Augusta, Georgia. Beautifully restored, the Imperial features 800 seats that all provide a unique and extraordinary experience for each patron. The Imperial is an intimate venue where the audience can enjoy the performer, Up Close & Personal. - On the Web, visit the Imperial at www.imperialtheatre.com
