YAL Film: He Named Me Malala

Meghan

Guggenheim, Davis. (Producer) (2015). He Named me Malala. [motion picture].  United States: Fox Searchlight Pictures.

            He Named me Malala is an unbelievably powerful documentary chronicling the courageous life of Malala Yousafzai.  The film recounts significant moments in her life in Swat Valley, located in Pakistan.  At the age of fifteen years old, Malala was targeted by the Taliban along with her father, Zia.  The two traveled to nearby areas in Pakistan, advocating for girls’ education and the hope for their neighbors to not live in fear of the Taliban.  They modeled living their days as if they were their last, regardless of an impending attack by the growing forces of the Taliban.  Due to the messages she shared throughout Pakistan and the world, Malala was shot on bus as she returned from school.  She was seriously injured, and her family was left questioning first her survival, and the degree to which she could recover.  Miraculously, Malala fully recovered, making her opinion and voice even stronger than it was previously.  According to Malala, “One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.”  With this belief, Malala went on to become a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and created a global campaign for girls’ education known as the Malala Fund.

            This film offers an opportunity for high school age students to see examples of tolerance, peaceful protest, and the ability to forgive the unthinkable.  Malala offers inspirational words to live by as she explains that we must not be silent because of fear, and instead demonstrate what we believe in at all times.  I believe this film would offer a commanding addition to lessons on history, conflict, or the importance of education for all for example.  The film makes Malala easily relatable as we see her playing card games with her family, discussing her grades in school which may not be the best, or showing pictures of celebrities that she has crushes on.  While Malala seems like any other teenage girl in a way, we are reminded of her exemplary character as she speaks before thousands of reporters, president Obama, and the people of the United Nations.  She speaks eloquently and confidently, as she strives to push the world from intolerance to acceptance for all people.  I was left speechless at the end of this film by David Guggenheim.