Silent Waters

Set in Pakistan in 1979, Silent Waters, a film by U.S.-educated Pakistani director Sabiha Sumar, tells the story of a Muslim widow Ayesha (Kirron Kher) who is losing h... more >

Set in Pakistan in 1979, Silent Waters, a film by U.S.-educated Pakistani director Sabiha Sumar, tells the story of a Muslim widow Ayesha (Kirron Kher) who is losing her son to a group of Islamic extremists and the tragic consequences in her own life. Saleem (Aamir Malik) is a carefree 18-year old courting Zubeida (Shilpa Shukla), an intelligent and ambitious teenager. When Zubeida goes away to an all-girls college, Saleem is left at home to dream of a life of doing more than working in the fields. Ultimately, his harsh poverty, peer pressure, and a sense of unfulfilled ambition make him a vulnerable target for the Muslim clerics.

Recruited by the zealots in his own village, he quickly becomes an aggressive jihadist, turning his back on his mother and his girlfriend. Several scenes show a growing fear and intolerance: the sudden building of a brick wall around a girls school playground, and the bullying of shop owners to close their doors during prayer time. According to Sumar, "There was just a kind of fear that led people to stop thinking. When fear becomes pervasive, you stop questioning." Ayesha becomes haunted by flashbacks, a recurring dream of a young girl screaming and running from a well.

When a group of Sikh pilgrims come to town to pray at the village mosque, enmity flares up again and Ayesha is forced to confront a dark secret in her past and a little-known chapter of violence against women in Pakistan's history. Silent Waters is a strong indictment of the intolerance and the abuse of women caused by religious differences and an important film that helps us to better appreciate the vulnerability of women during times of political crises and the factors that may have led to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism.
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DVD Extras

• Fully illustrated booklet including interview with the director.

Film Details

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