Type: Documentary
Director: Ziad H. Hamzeh
Year: 2007
Time: 91 minutes
Language: English & Arabic with English subtitles
WINNER — Golden Palm Award, 2008 Beverly Hills Film Festival "The film speaks about the greatness of Arab women, exemplified by the Syrian writer, lecturer and minister Bouthaina Shaaban." —Gulf News
Against the oppressive environment of religious fanaticism, political turmoil, archaic traditions, and the rise of radical Islamic movements igniting incendiary Islamophobia, one extraordinary Arab woman rises up in a personal, revealing, and dangerous quest campaigning for justice and equality for all women.
Woman is a feature-length documentary based on the writings, lectures, and life of Nobel Prize nominee/activist Bouthaina Shaaban as she fearlessly champions awareness while advancing the cause of freedom for Arab women everywhere—from securing formal acknowledgements throughout the Arab world that women should be afforded basic human rights, to waging an international battle defending the integrity of the true Arab female, all accomplished with her firm hand of diplomacy and the power of her pen.
The film journeys back to Bouthaina’s beginning as a schoolgirl in a small obscure Syrian village to her evolution into a top international politician representing her country, while continuing her fight for female equality. Woman reveals Dr. Shaaban as an outspoken human rights activist and female leader living in a male dominated culture. Maintaining equilibrium between embracing the traditional values of Middle Eastern society and fighting for her deeply held belief that all people are created equal, she speaks out about the misconceptions of the female role in Islam.
Ultimately, we come to know her as an inspiring leader who is dedicated to uniting the spirit of humanity into one family on earth. It is Bouthaina’s humility and tolerance that elevates people’s hopes, fed by the fire of her passion and her quest for a better tomorrow—for everyone. Her enlightened path empowers the souls of those without a voice, invoking the strengths of the courageous, and shedding light onto those whose hearts remain in darkness.
Watch the trailer:
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This film is available with a Digital Site License (DSL), which allows colleges, universities, or libraries to encode, locally host, and stream the film to their community on a closed, password-protected system.
Rental Information
This film is available from AFD for public screenings and television broadcast. For information regarding rental rates and formats, please contact info@arabfilm.com for institutional/non-theatrical screenings, or info@arabfilm.com for theatrical, festival, television, or other bookings.
