2019 Winners & Shortlists

Write a short summary of what happens in the film.

At a popular morning show in Pakistan - one that frequently features actual weddings taking place on it - a celebrity (famous local actor Ali Rehman) is about to reveal his mystery bride. His fans have been following this for a while now, and just last week he came online to admit that he was about to get married, but would do so on the Geo Morning Show. In comes a flower-covered "doli" (a traditional carriage for brides in Pakistan). But it opens up to reveal - instead of a woman - material goods: jewelry, electronic items, keys to a car, etc. All things that are demanded in dowry. Ali then explains to his shocked audience that this is what is plaguing society: the desire to marry for dowry. The hosts of the morning show further the message by introducing the campaign henna stamp on their palms.

Cultural/Context information for the jury.

In the Indian subcontinent, forced dowry is a practice in which the groom's family coerces the bride's family to pay the groom in material goods. Failure to match this expectation frequently results thousands of brides being victimised through domestic violence and in many cases, even leading to death through murder or suicide. In Pakistan, the custom is practised by all classes, and national laws against it have been unable to stop people from continuing to pressure women to submit. UN Women's goal was to create awareness around the evils of this practice by starting a national movement against it, and expose it for the stigma it is.