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Samar Minallah wins best short film at Rotterdam festival

Filmmaker and anthropologist Samar Minallah on Tuesday won best short film for her movie Outswing at the Sport Film...
The short film is a story of girls' passion for cricket in Pakistan. Inflic Images
The short film is a story of girls' passion for cricket in Pakistan. Inflic Images

Filmmaker and anthropologist Samar Minallah on Tuesday won best short film for her movie Outswing at the Sport Film Festival in Rotterdam.

Minallah tweeted the news on Wednesday.

The film festival tweeted a short video announcing the win.

Minallah beat out Les Aigles De Carthage and The Curiosity of Edward Pratt for the award.

The short, which is posted on Vimeo, is described as: "On the outskirts of Islamabad, a committed coach teaches a team of unlikely players, their families, and a community how playing Cricket can change lives."

The UNAFF 2021 describes the film as a story "of how standing up for girls and their passions is the most honorable thing a man can do. In Cricket, and out-swing delivery is the one that ‘moves away’ from the line of its bowling. It has In Cricket, and out swing delivery is the one that ‘moves away’ from the line of its bowling. It has the risk of being declared a wide-ball but it can also change the game. An outswing delivery is the one that 'moves away' from the line of its bowling. Just like an Outswing delivery, the girls are ready to ‘move away’ from the prescribed norms and expectations."

Minallah is an acclaimed documentarian and women's right activist whose work often highlights the challenges women and marginalized communities face.

Her first film, Swara-a bridge over troubled waters was screened internationally at several film festivals. The movie is credited as creating the first public interest litigation in the Supreme Court of Pakistan and making forced marriage illegal.

Minallah has won several international awards including Premio Roberto Rossellini 2009, The DVF Award 2015, and UNICEF Child Rights Award.

Many took to Twitter to fete Minallah's win including journalist Afia Aslam.

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