Synopsis
In the mountains of Pakistan, villagers hunt a mother, and daughter after they flee on the eve of the girl’s marriage to a tribal leader.
About the Film
The film is Afia Nathaniel’s feature directorial debut; she also wrote and produced the film. It is the story of a mother and her ten-year-old daughter, who leave their home to save the girl from an arranged marriage to a tribal leader.
About the Director
Afia Serena Nathaniel is an independent Pakistani filmmaker who works primarily as a writer, director, producer and editor. She is a graduate of the Film Division at the Columbia University School of the Arts.
Reviews For Dukhtar
Dukhtar is breathtaking from the story to the setting. It is art, beautiful, painful art. I love the way Afia Nathaniel uses color contrast. There are so many incredible shots of vast, muted landscapes with bright, focal characters. This movie also plays with the viewers perception of time. It has one of the best, most satisfying, and creative uses of Phantom reality I’ve seen. Nathaniel is a brilliant director. This is a suspenseful, heart-wrenching story of a mother’s love, and devotion, and the great resilience women possess. As a feminist in America, watching the agonizing life of a female in an antiquated part of the world hurts my heart, but It’s imperative to bring light to these very hard, very real situations. Dukhtar is struggle, Dukhtar is beauty, Dukhtar is sacrifice, and I urge everyone to bare witness.
—Bliss Button-Hale
With this movie, I didn’t necessarily like the movie until the end or maybe till the middle-end. I think I was more confused until I understood where the mother was coming from. The actresses that played the mother and daughter were really good at what they did and really portrayed their emotions really well.
—Linay
From the first shot of Pakistan’s beautiful scenery I knew I would enjoy Dukhtar if only for its aesthetics. I ended up loving it for everything! I watched it with my mom and seeing the mother’s story of sacrifice for her daughter brought both of us to tears. It’s heartbreaking but so so real what they go through. While some dialogue was awkward at first, Afia Nathaniel captures suspense, love, and strength wonderfully. The last scene was an especially great end to a powerful story.
Ms. directed 