Girl Unbound: The War to Be Her

To be born female in South Waziristan, a tribal area of Pakistan on the Afghan border that’s dominated by the Taliban, is inherently challenging. It is even more so for Maria Toorpakai, born female, but with the instincts and temperament of a boy, to a father so notoriously permissive that he was once confined to a mental hospital for believing his wife and daughters should be educated. Toorpakai further inflamed Taliban sensibilities by pursuing competitive squash in international competitions and, even worse, by becoming famous. Erin Heidenreich’s documentary is far more than the stirring story of an athlete’s determination to win against tough odds, including Taliban death threats. It’s also a portrait of a remarkable Pakistani family, born to tribalism but struggling to achieve modernity. “Where do I fit in?” Toorpakai asks stoically. “I have no idea. I have no idea.”