Chronicling the weeks leading up to – and the day of – the 2020 edition of the “aurat march”, a multi-city women’s demonstration in Pakistan, Anam Abbas’s stirring documentary follows the courageous activists who dare to make their voices heard. Bookended by colourful animated sequences depicting the solidarity of Pakistani women in the face of patriarchal violence, This Stained Dawn also examines the nitty gritty of community organising with unvarnished honesty.
Operating under intense scrutiny and threats from rightwing groups as well as their own families, the women behind the aurat march fight prejudice with the joy of activism. Staying close to its resilient subjects, the documentary captures how the simplest act of disobedience can turn into a sense of revolutionary sisterhood. Juxtaposed against a flood of TV panel discussions and political debates where men freely spout misogynistic dogma, the activists’ efforts feel like a safe haven amid a storm of hate.
Most notably, Abbas’s film also includes moments of discord that debunk the myth of the perfect, politically correct feminist. Chants of “my body, my choice” draw anger from male conservatives, but the slogan also causes fractures within the female marchers. Divided by class, age and educational backgrounds, many of the participants still uphold traditional, even regressive, views on marital or maternal duties – the difference of opinion drives home the importance of intersectional feminist organising.
After a violent attack from men’s rights groups on one march and a string of high-profile femicide cases in Pakistan, the activists are coming together at a time of tragedy. A powerful performance piece in which women across different cities stomp and clap while shouting their demands for an end to violence, This Stained Dawn ends with an exhilarating and powerful battle cry for women’s rights.
• This Stained Dawn is available from 25 August on True Story in the UK, and via digital platforms in Australia.
