Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai joins the Tribeca-bound documentary “The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony” as an executive producer.
The coming-of-age documentary, directed by Habiba Nosheen, focuses on three Pakistani girls navigating the margins of society and carving out space for themselves, one somersault at a time.”Through their intimate journeys, we witness how their passion for gymnastics begins to clash with deeply rooted expectations on what girls in Pakistan are permitted to do,” a synopsis of the film explains. “The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony” will make its world premiere in competition at the Tribeca Festival on June 8.
“I could not be more proud to support this beautiful film and the incredible young athletes at the heart of it,” said Malala in a statement announcing her involvement. “‘The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony’ perfectly illustrates the power of sports to change how girls see themselves and how the world sees young women.”
Malala joins Emmy winner Mariska Hargitay and Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker Trish Adlesic (who previously collaborated on the PGA-winning documentary “My Mom Jayne” and the Emmy-winning “I Am Evidence”), and producer Amar Lohana.
“We’re honored to have Malala join the team as executive producer. The heart of this film reflects her visionary, trailblazing advocacy for young girls,” says Mariska Hargitay. “’The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony’ is a beautiful portrait of courage and determination, embodied in a group of girls breaking through barriers to claim a larger, more expansive life. Their journey inspires me and moves me deeply.”
Nosheen was similarly overjoyed by Malala’s interest in supporting the project. “For years, Malala has been a global voice for girls’ education, and more recently, a powerful advocate for girls’ right to play, compete, and dream freely through sports,” she stated. “That mission is at the very heart of our film, which celebrates the courage, joy, and ambition of remarkable Pakistani teenagers. Malala joins an extraordinary team of executive producers, including Mariska Hargitay, whose belief in the film has been invaluable as we prepare to share this story with audiences around the world.”
“The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony” is an Akelo Media Production and was produced with the participation of Canada Media Fund and Telefilm Canada, in association with CBC, Chicken and Egg Films and Mighty Entertainment. Watch the trailer for the documentary below:
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