A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness

In A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness, filmmaker and journalist Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy tells the story of an honour killing in Pakistan and its aftermath through the eyes of the victim, 19-year-old Pakistani woman Saba.

After disapproving of the man Saba plans to marry because of his financial and social standing, her father and uncle take matters into their own hands in one of the most horrifying ways possible. They take her to an isolated area, beat her savagely, and plan to shoot her to death. When the gun misfires, the family place the still-alive Saba into a tied sack and throw her into a river.

The Oscar-winning film explores Saba’s miraculous will to live and the investigation into the so-called honour killing, which is not considered equivalent to murder in Pakistan. Ultimately, Saba must make a devastating choice: to forgive her family, which would lead to their release from prison, or refuse forgiveness and pursue justice.