SYNOPSIS
After her imposing husband locks her in each night, Minahil escapes her domestic prison, and lives out a double life as a clown outside a fast-food restaurant. That is until one day her husband shows up her street corner with another woman.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
Living in Pakistan, I have been surrounded by all varieties of veils – hijab, burqa, niqab. I have never truly felt comfortable with the thought of a human being, being covered in that manner. But to each their own, what can you do. Especially when you live in an Islamic Republic. You put your head down, and carry on. One day I saw a wholly new variety of veil, and this short film came to life in my mind. It was a clown costume. And it got me thinking, could this be a veil that makes you more free? Can a woman dance in public and get away with it. Through the lead character we explore exactly this sense of ‘freedom’. By becoming a clown she can get away with things otherwise only men can do in public. But alas this freedom ends the moment she takes off the mask. In this film our character must take the leap from this ‘borrowed freedom’ behind the costume, and instead come out unveiled, unfettered and unafraid to claim true freedom. And because you cannot question the veil where I live, I have found this roundabout way of doing so. In Pakistan, when I showcase this film, unfortunately it’ll just have to be a story about a clown. But in freer societies like yours, I hope for the surreptitious message to fully shine through.