Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy: Storytelling & Social Change Through Film

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is a two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker and journalist whose work has transformed storytelling into a tool for justice. As one of the most influential voices in global documentary cinema, she has used her lens to confront gender violence, honor, extremism, and displacement—giving voice to the silenced and power to the unheard.

Born and raised in Pakistan, Sharmeen became the first Pakistani to win an Oscar, and one of the few women globally to win twice. Her films such as Saving Face and A Girl in the River have sparked public debates, changed laws, and redefined what it means to create media with impact.

Beyond film, she launched SOC Films and initiatives like the Anti-Honor Killing Bill campaign, proving that advocacy can move from the screen to real-world change. She also made history again as the first woman to direct a major installment in the Star Wars universe (Ms. Marvel, The Mandalorian), inspiring a new generation of storytellers from the Global South.

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy believes in the power of truth and the urgency of telling it. Through her work, she’s turned storytelling into a powerful form of leadership—fearless, honest, and transformative.