Showgirls of Pakistan(شوگرلز آف پاكستان)

Getting death threats goes with the territory for Afreen, Uzma, and Reema, three dancers from Pakistan’s Punjab province. They’ve got plenty of fans—in the theaters where they perform, as well as online—but the majority of people in Pakistan regard the way they earn a living as disgraceful. The women perform the mujra, a centuries-old dance genre that is considered vulgar nowadays. This lively and vibrant documentary packed with personal drama follows the women as they go about their turbulent daily lives, leaving plenty of space for livestreams, telephone conversations, archive footage, and other media. Making this film took quite some doing, not least due to the threats aimed at members of the crew. A tribute to unstoppable go-getters. (Source: IDFA 2020)