Saving Face

HBO / CHANNEL 4

Hemal Trivedi, Editor

Every year in Pakistan, at least 100 people are victimized by acid attacks. The majority of these are women, and many cases go unreported. With little or no access to reconstructive surgery, survivors are physically and emotionally scarred, while many reported assailants – typically a husband or someone close to the victim – are let go with minimal punishment from the state. Saving Face tells the stories of two acid-attack survivors: Zakia, a 39-yearold whose husband threw acid on her after she filed for divorce, and Rukhsana, a 25-year-old whose husband and inlaws threw acid and gasoline on her, then set her on fire. Charting the arduous attempts to bring their assailants to justice, the film also follows plastic surgeon Dr. Mohammad Jawad, who put his London practice on hold to return to his home country to help Zakia, Rukhsana and other victims. 

Awards:

• 2012 Academy® Award Winner, Best Documentary Short
• Winner, 2 Emmy Award for Best Documentary and Best Editing, 5 Emmy Award Nominations, 2012

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