Mediha FilmTalk Event : The Transformative Power of Storytelling

Mediha’s director Hasan Oswald with film producer Betsy West who introduced the film.

On Monday evening the United Nations Association of New York hosted a special screening of Mediha, the compelling story of a teenage Yazidi girl, a genocide survivor who returned from ISIS captivity and turned the camera on herself to process her trauma. We were privileged to have the film’s director and journalist Susanna Petrin in attendance as participants in a post-screening discussion.

The director Hasan Oswald shared an inspiring yet unintended consequence of allowing Mediha the autonomy to tell her own story on her terms. In doing so, she was able to find her power and source of healing through the act of story telling.

Her heartbreaking journey, beautifully edited and introduced by Mr. Oswald, has restored her identity, and has continued as a source of healing therapy through the ability to share it with audience. This message of hope was recognized and appreciated by those attending.

We were also graced by the greatly admired film producer and director Betsy West who introduced the film. Her own celebrated film RBG, about the glorious life and career of the legendary Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was previously screened by UNA-NYC in its film-talk series in 2018.

The United Nations Association of New York values the ability of stories to create a deep connection with the audience and lead to deeper understandings of the world. The goal of our film program is to shed light on global issues and promote personal engagement and advocacy. This evening, Mediha’s transformative power of storytelling helped fulfill those initiatives.

Journalist Susanna Petrin and director Hasan Oswald in conversation with audience members.