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The Ground Beneath Their Feet

Two Pakistani-Muslim women create new identities for themselves after being paralyzed in an earthquake.

Film – Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

On October 8, 2005 at 8:50 AM a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the north of Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir. 82,000 people died and 3 million were left homeless or injured. As a Pakistani-American I was deeply affected by the tragedy, and as a filmmaker I felt the need to go to Pakistan and tell the story of those affected by the disaster.


I arrived in Pakistan and visited many Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps and make-shift hospitals. When I met Ruqiya and Khalida I was struck by their courage in the face of their circumstances and knew that I had found my story.


In Pakistani culture a woman is valued if she is a homemaker and caretaker. I knew that Ruqiya and Khalida had now lost that value in society. They would not only struggle with their new disability but also need to redefine their roles as women. Though I was born and raised in the United States, as a Pakistani woman I knew the difficulties that these women would face. By deciding to become a filmmaker I chose a non-traditional career path, and in doing so I faced many challenges from my culture. Ruqiya and Khalida were forced into a position of challenging their culture not by choice but by circumstance. Their situation, the way that they have to reconsider themselves and their society drew me into their lives and into their intimate stories.


The film is nearing completion, but I need your help. Through your IndieGoGo contributions we will be able to finish the film, and share Ruqiya and Khalida's story with a wider audience.


WHY SUPPORT THIS FILM?

We can't do this without your help. Become part of our team, not only will you get the cool rewards promised on IndieGoGo, like a credit in the film, but you will also be helping other women like Ruqiya and Khalida. We are collaborating with Spinal Cord Injury Project for Pakistan Earthquake Rehabilitation (SCIPPER) which sponsors medical care for 33 men and women who were injured during the earthquake, some of whom have been abandoned by their families. SCIPPER is currently trying to build a community housing center for these individuals, and "The Ground Beneath Their Feet," will be used as a tool to raise awareness about this issue. We also plan to give part of the proceeds of the film to SCIPPER.


ABOUT THE FILMMAKER

Nausheen Dadabhoy received her BA in Film and Video Production from the California State University of Long Beach, and her MFA in Cinematography from The American Film Institute. From her experiences as a Pakistani-American, Nausheen's goal in filmmaking is twofold: to make films that highlight the everyday struggles of Muslim people, and to expose western audiences to Pakistani and Islamic culture. In 2005 Nausheen began shooting a documentary about victims of the October 8, 2005 earthquake in Pakistan. The resulting film, The Ground Beneath Their Feet, earned her a grant from The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, and is currently in post-production (www.thegroundbeneaththeirfeet.com).


While in Pakistan Nausheen shot the Pakistan segment of Michael Apted's ( 7 Up series, The World is Not Enough, and HBOs Rome) documentary "The Power of The Game," and is currently working as a cinematographer on a documentary about notable Hollywood legends including, Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, and Arthur Hiller, among others. She is also part of Film Independents talent development program Project:Involve 2010/2011.


In addition to her documentary work Nausheen has worked as a cinematographer on numerous narrative films, music videos and commercials. Her experience with different formats ranges from Super 16mm, 35mm, and digital. You can view her cinematography reel at www.dpdadabhoy.com.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

In addition to your generous donations you can help by spreading the word. Share our IndieGoGo page, join us on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/fuR3HG, embed our video on your Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @GroundBeneath, or tweet about our project.

ADDITIONAL LINKS

Official website: www.thegroundbeneaththeirfeet.com
Our fiscal sponsor, From The Heart Productions: http://bit.ly/fy7rGu
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/fuR3HG
Vimeo: www.vimeo.com/dadabhoyfilms
Twitter: @GroundBeneath

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