Graphic courtesy of Sydney Seifried
Written by Grace Baines
As the theater lights dimmed, we eagerly awaited the film about the girl who stood up to the Taliban and paid an extraordinary price. When entering the theater I knew this was going to be a gripping film, but I did not understand how captivating it would be.
“He Named Me Malala” captures the story of now 18-year-old Malala Yousafzai; a girl who stood against the Taliban on girl’s education and survived being shot in the head in retaliation. The film captures both her amazing humanitarian work and her youth with grace and poise, mixing newscast footage with whimsical animation showing her child hood and how she grew to where she is today. The documentary focuses not only on Malala as a public figure, but as a young woman, working through school, friends and family. We meet her father, who helped shape her views on education, her two brothers, and her mother. We watch the family learn to switch from life in the Swat Valley in Pakistan to living in England and all of the cultural differences that follow. It shows the girl behind the news, and it makes her seem all the more lovable and amazing. Above all else, the film focuses on the power of words, and that with enough determination even the weakest person can have the loudest impact on the world.
The documentary uses its unique platform to capture Malala’s message and try to inspire the audience to feel empowered on their own. Malala uses her unique place in the public eye to fight for causes she believes in, be it education for girls in the mountains of Pakistan to rescuing the girls kidnapped by Boko Haram. She is shown as level-headed, intelligent public speaker who can both inspire the world and make us love her all the more due to her humbleness and humanity.
The documentary is one of a kind, not only through subject use but how it is told. It uses touching family moments, stories, animation and questions to humanize Malala; remining the viewer that though she is a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, she’s also a teenager. It does not downplay her achievements however, instead using the humanizing characteristics to make her achievements all the more amazing. The documentary tugs on the heart strings, forcing you as the viewer to realize how much Malala gave up to fight for the rights of education and what her family has had to endure. The entire time I was watching I found myself amazed by her. It’s a story of empowerment, strength and above all living your life with no regrets. I left feeling joyous and empowered, as if Malala’s bravery had flowed off the screen and into the crowd.
“He Named Me Malala” is a timeless tale of feminism, bravery and familial love. It captures you, holding your attention and leaves you feeling stronger than you were when you entered the theater. It will leave you speechless, breathless and ready to tackle the world.
