Malala is a name you run into almost everyday, whether you are scanning world news or reading about feminist movements in the East; everybody wants to know more about Malala Yousafzai. Depicting the real events of her life in Pakistan and England, "He Named Me Malala" is an exclusive close look at Malala's everyday life, as well as the details of the attack on her in Pakistan.
Through a beautiful mix between animation and live action scenes, the movie offers a magnificent window into Malala; who she really is, how she behaves, and her hopes and troubles. The film begins by showing the story of her namesake; Malalai of Maiwand, and goes on to deal with her day-to-day life, from fights with her brothers and her performance in school, to her book "I Am Malala" and her trips for causes affecting girls all over the world.
What's striking about the movie is that it deals with the complexity of the issue at hand with grace and honesty. What happened to Malala is that she was shot by the Taliban, an extremist Muslim group, because she was fighting for girls' right to education. According to them, Islam doesn't condone the education of women beyond religious studies, and dictates that women must remain at home rather than go to school.
It would be typical of a movie to leave it at that, to only show how bad the Muslim extremists are, and how brave Malala was in facing them. But what this movie does is that it doesn't stop at that, it goes on, it shows the true face of Islam presented by Malala and her family, presented by her father making speeches about the corruption of the Taliban, presented by Malala saying that she is not angry at the Taliban, because that is what Islam teaches her.
Another inspiring aspect of the movie is its realistic view on women, especially those who aren't empowered. This is first addressed through the film tackling Malala's mother, where it highlights her choices of behavior in context of her lack of education. Women in the movie are not blamed for their conditions, their troubles and choices are presented to highlight the importance that education plays in an empowered woman's life. The women in Pakistan know nothing besides what the Taliban says and thus have no choice but to follow it.
The biggest idea highlighted in the film, which is shown through the title, is the role that her father played in Malala's life. Ziauddin Yousafzai, the father of Malala, played a huge part in her upbringing in raising her interest in education, and encouraged her activism. He was a model for her, and he never dared to hold her back from what she wanted to do. He is an inspiration for parents everywhere to encourage their young children, and especially their young girls, to aspire to do whatever they may dream and not be hindered back by any challenge they may face.
Produced by ImageNation Abu Dhabi FZ and Participant Media, "He Named Me Malala" is a look into the life of a hero, it shows that the truth is that the only difference between any one of us and a hero is simply what lengths we're willing to go for our beliefs. This film is a must-see for anyone who has any concern for what the world will be, and how we can participate in making it a better place. It is a film about family and bravery, but most of all, it is a film about hope.