Winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject in 2016, “A Girl in the River” describes the extraordinary story of a young Pakistani woman who lived to tell of her narrow escape from an “honor” killing attempted by her father and uncle. All sides tell their side of the story: about the outrage and about the justifications, the community support for the two sides and the police exasperation over the perpetuation of the practice.

There are more than 1,000 honor killings of women each year in Pakistan. The practice is barred by criminal law, but a criminal prosecution will be discontinued if a surviving victim forgives the perpetrator. Powerful social forces are exerted against the victim impelling this formalized forgiveness. This film is a searing insight into the lives of ordinary Pakistani in Gujranwala, a city of 5 million in Punjab province.

A discussion will be held after the screening. Admission is free, but a donation is appreciated.