Davis Guggenheim's documentary profiles Malala Yousafzai, a charismatic Pakistani teen whose impassioned crusade for girls' education nearly left her a martyr in 2012 when a Taliban gunman shot her in the face. He Named Me Malala opens with pastel storybook animation depicting Malali of Maiwand, a 19th-century freedom fighter who led her Pashtun countrymen against invading British forces in Afghanistan. Activist/educator Ziauddin Yousafzai refers to his daughter and her predecessor as two bodies sharing the same soul; he was not surprised when young Malala protested on a BBC blog and elsewhere after the Taliban burned books in their Swat valley village, ending education for Muslim girls. Miraculously, Malala survived the assassination attempt and was transported to the U.K., where after enduring many surgeries, she awoke to find the left side of her face paralyzed, leaving her with a lopsided smile. Undaunted, she not only recovered and wrote her memoir (I Am Malala) but also delivered an eloquent speech at U.N. headquarters in New York City. Malala subsequently won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize, becoming the youngest recipient. Employing a sometimes confusing non-linear format, Guggenheim focuses on the father/daughter bond, along with fate and predestination. The informal glimpses here of Malala and her family in Birmingham, England—while few and far between—make for the most memorable scenes in this uplifting and inspirational documentary. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include the behind-the-scenes featurettes “Story” (4 min.), “Stand with Malala” on film subject Malala Yousafzai (4 min.), “On Davis” on director Davis Guggenheim (3 min.), “Who Is Malala?” (3 min.), and “Animation” (3 min.), as well as a brief “About the Malala Fund” segment, a photo gallery, and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for this winning biographical documentary.] (S. Granger)
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