By IANS,
Islamabad/New York : Pakistani gang rape victim Mukhtaran Mai, who is now an icon of women’s struggle in the country, is currently in New York for the screening of a film based on her life at the Tribeca Film Festival that started Wednesday.
Mai will participate in a question and answer session after the screening of “Shame”, which chronicles her struggle against the system and her determination to get justice for all wronged women in her village and elsewhere, the Dawn newspaper said Wednesday.
Mai was ordered to be gang raped by four men in 2002 by a tribal council as punishment for her younger brother having allegedly eloped with a girl from a rival tribe.
Instead of killing herself, as she was expected to do, Mai lodged a complaint and fought for justice. There has been a trial and conviction, but no punishment.
Mai’s tormentors have been arrested, but are at large on bail. She does social service and helps out NGOs in her village in Punjab.
The film is directed by Mohammed Naqvi, a Canada-based Pakistani filmmaker, and produced by Jill Schneider.
The Tribeca Film Festival, which ends May 7, draws Hollywood’s A-list and top talents from around the world. For cinema buffs, it is a promise to discover new films, and for sponsors it is the opportunity to connect with a passionate and diverse audience.
The festival, which began in 2002, is organised by a group headed by Hollywood legend Robert de Niro.
Some 276 films from over 40 countries, including documentaries, short films and the biggest Hollywood blockbusters, will be shown at the glitzy fest.