Malala Yousafzai likely didn’t think of herself as an activist when she decided to write about living under Taliban rule at the age of 12. But that story, penned for the BBC, made waves around the world and it also made her an enemy, and in 2009, a gunman attempted to end her life as she went to school. She survived the horrific attack, gained even more headlines, and won the Nobel Peace Prize. Far from stopping her message of empowerment to women and children, Malala embraced her position as a speaker and symbol of influence, and now a new documentary introduces us to the young woman behind the celebrity.
Directed by Davis Guggenheim ("An Inconvenient Truth"), "He Named Me Malala" gets up close and personal with Malala Yousafzai and her family, and explores the life of Malala who has inspired people around the world. Here’s the official 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. Watch below.
Malala Yousafzai likely didn’t think of herself as an activist when she decided to write about living under Taliban rule at the age of 12. But that story, penned for the BBC, made waves around the world and it also made her an enemy, and in 2009, a gunman attempted to end her life as she went to school. She survived the horrific attack, gained even more headlines, and won the Nobel Peace Prize. Far from stopping her message of empowerment to women and children, Malala embraced her position as a speaker and symbol of influence, and now a new documentary introduces us to the young woman behind the celebrity.
