A Documentary film on skateboarding girls won an Oscar this year. Carol Dysinger and Elena Andreicheva are the director and producer, respectively. Last year’s Oscar went to “The Breadwinner” produced by Angelina Jolie that told the story of a girl disguised as a boy under Taliban rule.
This win is not only important because it comes in a male-dominated Hollywood industry but also because it represents brave girls of Afghanistan. The documentary is titled- “Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)”.
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‘Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl)’ just won ‘Documentary (Short Subject).’
This is an amazing film about the power of young women that everyone should see. Glad it’s getting the spotlight, at least for a few minutes. 💛 #Oscars pic.twitter.com/FP1dy4SuIT
— Affinity Magazine (@TheAffinityMag) February 10, 2020
It is quite different from the other representations of Afghanistan’s female population that show them as helpless and downtrodden women. Dysinger said that this documentary is like a love letter for those girls, it is teaching them the courage to come out and speak.
The documentary tells the story of skateboarding girls in Skateistan, a school located in Kabul. The school offers kids an opportunity to learn the 3 Rs and skateboarding. It represents a one-of-a-kind opportunity for these repressed girls who’re hungry for learning.
#Oscars Moment: "Learning to Skateboard in a War Zone (If You're a Girl)" wins for Best Documentary Short. Carol Dysinger and Elena Andreicheva (@_Andreicheva) accept their Oscars. pic.twitter.com/PJThEPxXJJ
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) February 10, 2020
Dysinger also said that if Skateistan wasn’t there, these girls would’ve had been engaged in only household work. She added that she deliberately showed the scene of the teacher asking girls to raise their hands to learn more. She feels that these teachers are teaching the girls to speak their minds with courage.
Dysinger observed that Skateistan has opened the world to these skateboarding girls. She said that an extremely poor girl sees another girl who’s not so poor, a Sunni meets a Shia and this will make them aware of social and cultural differences.
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Having spent a lot of time in the country, Dysinger knew that an entirely female crew is required to reach the other women of Afghanistan. She noted that there is an enormous difference between the serious business that men are engaged in and the kind of trouble women face at home.
Congratulations to the team behind Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) for winning Best Documentary Short at last night's Oscars, a film that highlights the work of a project we've long admired, @Skateistan https://t.co/mlI1KW6kwE
— huck (@HUCKmagazine) February 10, 2020
Dysinger said that she primarily wanted to show the women and skateboarding was just a cherry on the cake. She confessed her love for the girls of Afghanistan saying that she is happy to show the world who these skateboarding girls really are.
Featured Image: scoop.upworthy.com