International Competition

On Her Shoulders

Alexandria Bombach
Screening time  
25.02. / Monday, 17:00 - 19:00 Theatre 2  
27.02. / Wednesday, 20:00 - 22:00 Theatre 4  
28.02. / Thursday, 11:00 - 13:00 Theatre 5  
Nadia Murad, a 23-year-old Yazidi, survived genocide and sexual slavery committed by ISIS. Repeating her story to the world, this ordinary girl finds herself thrust onto the international stage as the voice of her people.

Nadia Murad is a 23-year-old lifeline to the Yezidi community. A survivor of the 2014 atrocities against the Yezidi in northern Iraq, Nadia escaped sexual slavery at the hands of the Islamic State (also known as ISIS) and witnessed the murder of those closest to her. With the love of her people propelling her forward, Nadia is determined to turn her pain into international action. She now shoulders immense burdens as a key public figure whose supporters are pushing her further into the spotlight – from testifying at the United Nations Security Council and having endless meetings with government officials, to giving soul-baring media interviews and emotionally draining speeches. On Her Shoulders tells the story of a multi-layered and selfless activist who once dreamed of opening a beauty salon in her village as she becomes an essential voice in the fight to bring ISIS to justice and save her people from extinction.

Bombach_alexandria

Alexandria Bombach

Alexandria Bombach is an award-winning cinematographer, editor, and director from Santa Fe, New Mexico. She founded the video production company Red Reel in 2009, where she produced her first documentary feature Frame by Frame. In 2016, she directed documentary Afghanistan by Choice. Her latest film, On Her Shoulders premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.

General sponsor

On Her Shoulders

USA
2018, 94'

Directed by:
Alexandria Bombach

Screenplay by:
Alexandria Bombach

Cinematography:
Alexandria Bombach

Edited by:
Alexandria Bombach

Music:
Patrick Jonsson

Producers:
Brock Williams, Hayley Pappas

Produced by:
RYOT

Festivals & Awards:

Sundance Film Festival 2018 – Best Directing Award in the US DOC Competition; Docs For Schools Student Choice Award; SXSW 2018 – LUNA Chicken & Egg Award; Nashville Film Festival 2018 – Nashville Public Television Human Spirit Award; Full Frame Documentary Film Festival 2018; Sheffield Doc/Fest 2018; Dokufest 2018; Dallas International Film Festival 2018; Seattle International Film Festival 2018; Telluride Mountainfilm 2018; Sydney Film Festival 2018; Biografilm Festival 2018; AFI Docs 2018; San Francisco Jewish Film Festival 2018; Jerusalem Film Festival 2018