아랍-미국 합작 ‘말랄라 다큐멘터리’ 나온다

*’아시아엔’ 해외 필진 기고문 한글요약본과 원문을 게재합니다.

[아시아엔=아시라프 달리] 2014년 노벨평화상 수상자인 말랄라 유사프자이 이야기가 미국에서 다큐멘터리 영화로 만들어진다.

파키스탄에서 여성 교육권을 지키려 한 15세 말랄라의 투쟁을 세계적 다큐멘터리로 제작하는 프로젝트다.

미국 공교육 체제의 실패를 고발한 다큐멘터리를 만든 데이비스 구겐하임이 감독을 맡았다.

구겐하임은로 2007년 아카데미 다큐멘터리 영화상을 받은 거장이다.

제작사는 파크스/맥도널드 프로덕션이다. 파크스/맥도널드는 드림 워크스에서 3년 연속 오스카 최우수작품상, 총수입 60억 달러 실적을 올린 탁월한 제작자 월터 파크스와 로리 맥도널드가 2005년 설립한 회사다.

파크스/맥도널드는등 수많은 흥행영화를 제작했다. 제작비는 파크스/맥도널드의 오랜 파트너인 아랍에미리트의 이미지 네이션이 전액 부담키로 함으로써 아랍-미국 합작이 됐다.

말랄라는 탈레반의 살해 기도에서 살아난 뒤 영국 버밍엄에 머물며 어린이·여성 교육운동을 벌여왔다.

지난해 역대 최연소 노벨평화상 후보로 지명됐고,이 선정한 2013년 세계에서 가장 영향력 큰 인물 100인에 포함됐다.

지난해 10월에는 회고록를 펴냈다.

구겐하임 감독은 “내 두 딸도 말랄라 투쟁 스토리에 빠져 크게 감명받았다. 이 영화는 세계 모든 여성과 가족들에게 메시지를 전달할 것”이라고 소감을 밝혔다.

파크스는 “말랄라와 그의 아버지 지아우딘의 투쟁 실화는 하나같이 압도적이고 의미 있다. 이들의 삶을 스크린에 담을 수 있게 돼 기쁘다”고 말했다.

모하메드 알무바라크 이미지 네이션 회장은 “전 세계 어린이들에게 용기와 희망의 메시지를 전달할 영화 제작에 참여할 수 있게 돼 영광”이라며 “최고 재능을 지닌 제작진과 앞으로도 계속 손잡고 일하고 싶다”고 말했다.

이 영화는 이르면 올 연말 개봉될 예정이다.

Malala in Arab American documentary film

“Let us pick up our books and our pens. They are our most powerful weapons…

one child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world. Education is
the only solution. Education first.”

These were the words of Malala Yousafzai, who celebrated her 16th birthday on the world stage at the United Nations, defiantly telling Taliban extremists who tried to end her campaign for girls’ education in Pakistan with a bullet that the attack gave her new courage and demanding that world leaders provide free education to all children.

Such a story is getting the way for a world documentary film, as Davis Guggenheim, director of Waiting for Superman, is setting to helm the project on
young Pakistani activist Malala and her international campaign for the right to
safe education for every child.

Producers Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald launched the production of a feature-length documentary chronicling the story of 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai and her courageous fight to ensure a safe education for every child.

Davis Guggenheim has signed on to direct.

The project is being produced in association with and fully financed by Image Nation Abu Dhabi, the Emirati film and television company with whom Parkes/MacDonald has a longstanding partnership.

Through the company’s partnership with Image Nation International, a leading content creator in Abu Dhabi, Parkes/MacDonald is fully financed.

Their collaboration has also facilitated the opportunity for the team to engage
in significant cultural diplomacy in the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East, an important mission for the filmmakers.

Prior to the founding of their own production company, Parkes and MacDonald served as the founding presidents of DreamWorks SKG motion picture studio; during their 12 year tenure, they oversaw the development of American Beauty, Almost Famous, Gladiator, The Mask of Zorro, The Ring, Awakenings, and Amistad, among many others, and led the studio to three consecutive Best Picture Oscars. In total, their films have earned in excess of $6 billion in the worldwide box office.

Parkes/MacDonald Productions, founded in 2005 by Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald, developed and produced feature film and television projects.

With a passion for the story, the duo has produced or executive produced the Men In Black franchise, Catch Me If You Can, The Kite Runner, The Ring, Sweeney Todd, Gladiator, Minority Report, and most recently, Flight, along with many other critically and commercially successful films. In 2013, Parkes/MacDonald embarked on its first television project with NBC, producing the highly anticipated series Crossbones starring John Malkovich.

Directed by Davis Guggenheim

Pakistani student activist Malala gained international recognition when she survived a brutal assassination attempt by the Taliban at age 15.

Shot in the head and neck when gunmen opened fire on her school bus in Pakistan’s Swat Valley, Malala was targeted for speaking out on behalf of girls’ education in her community.

Despite the senseless violence she endured, Malala did not waiver. Upon her recovery in Birmingham, England, she has courageously continued her campaign to ensure every child, boy or girl, in Pakistan and beyond, has access to a safe education.

For her steadfast advocacy, Malala was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming the youngest nominee in history.

She was included in the 2013 Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world and has published a memoir titled I am Malala in October 2013 to raise awareness about the 61 million children across the globe that are not in school.
Last year, the United Nations and Gordon Brown, the organization’s Special Envoy for Education, declared July 12, 2013 Malala Day in support of her global education campaign.

On this day, her 16th birthday, she came to the United States for the first time and spoke in front of the UN General Assembly- her first major public address since being shot in October 2012.

The Untitled Malala Project documented this occasion.

Parkes says, “There are few stories Laurie and I have ever come across that are as compelling, urgent or important as the real-life struggle of Malala and her father Ziauddin on behalf of universal education for children.

It is an honor and a privilege to be able to try to bring the lives of these extraordinary people to the screen.”

“I have two daughters and they are inspired and captivated by Malala’s story and her fight for education for every child,” added Guggenheim.

“I believe this movie will speak to every girl and every family in the world.”

“Honored to be involved in this”

“We are honored to be involved in making a film about such an urgent and timely issue,” said Mohamed Al Mubarak, Chairman of Image Nation.

“We hope to inspire generations of children worldwide with Malala’s message of courage and hope.”

Al Mubarak continued: “Meaningful partnerships between local and international talent have always been integral to Abu Dhabi’s success.

Image Nation is continuing that tradition of collaboration by working with top talents Walter Parkes, Laurie MacDonald and David Guggenheim on this important documentary.”

Davis Guggenheim is a critically acclaimed Academy Award-winning director and producer, whose work includes Waiting for Superman (Paramount), It Might get Loud (Sony), the 2009 documentary featuring Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White, and An Inconvenient Truth (Paramount), featuring former Vice President Al Gore, which won the Oscar for Best Documentary in 2007.

In 2008, Guggenheim produced and directed President Barack Obama’s biographical film A Mother’s Promise, and in 2012 The Road We’ve Traveled, the convention film for Obama’s most recent campaign.

Since launching in 2008 as a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Media, Image Nation has rapidly become one of the leading content creators in Abu Dhabi and the UAE.

The company commissions and producers filmed content across a wide range of platforms, with a particular focus on audiences in the UAE and Gulf region.

Image Nation fulfills four key commitments: Developing Emirati filmed entertainment; growing the local film industry through training and internship programs; supporting Abu Dhabi entities in creating content to meet strategic and marketing objectives; and coproducing
an aggressive slate of international films through several strategic partnerships.

As part of a commitment to grow the local film industry through training and internship programs, Image Nation will make meaningful work opportunities on this film available to a minimum of five Emiratis.

These opportunities will offer serious local filmmakers the chance to further their craft and careers by working with one of the most successful documentarians in the industry.

The film will debut in theatrical release in late 2014.