An Afghan Woman Speaks Out for Democracy and Is Threatened With Death

NOW
t r u t h o u t | Programming Note

Airdate: Friday, March 2, 2007, at 8:30 p.m. on PBS.
(Check local listings at http://www.pbs.org/now/sched.html.)

The inner character of Afghanistan's new democratic face. This time on NOW.

Can an Afghan woman, armed with only a strong voice and a fierce loyalty to her homeland, overcome entrenched views and death threats to help bring democracy to Afghanistan? On March 2 at 8:30 p.m., David Brancaccio talks with Danish filmmaker Eva Mulvad about her upcoming documentary, "Enemies of Happiness." The film follows the outspoken and successful campaign of Malalai Joya, a 28-year-old Afghan woman running in the country's first democratic parliamentary elections in 35 years. The elections represented a special milestone for Afghan women, who had endured second-class citizenry their entire lives.

During the campaign, Joya's life was threatened multiple times because of her vocal and fearless opposition to the presence of warlords in the nation's government. But Joya's dedication also inspired many Afghanis to join her in the cause of real reform. "Enemies of Happiness" won the World Cinema Jury Prize in Documentaries at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.

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Note: The NOW website at www.pbs.org/now will provide additional coverage starting Friday morning, March 2, including clips from the film and a look at Afghanistan's tumultuous past and present.

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