- This is POV .
I'm Pete Schwaba, host of Wisconsin Public Television's
Director's Cut .
Tonight, director Erin Heidenreich
takes us to one of the most dangerous places on Earth,
South Waziristan, with her film
The War to be Her .
Living in a tribal area of Pakistan near the Afghan border
dominated by the Taliban is dangerous enough,
but for Maria Toorpakai, a competitive squash player,
it has been life threatening.
The Taliban forbids girls from competing in sports,
so as a young girl, Toorpakai disguised herself as a boy.
Her plan worked until she became a rising star.
Once her true identity is made public,
Toorpakai receives death threats forcing her to leave her home.
With the true competitive spirit of an athlete,
Maria Toorpakai returns to her native country
to compete in the sport she loves
while in the face of grave danger.
Director Erin Heidenreich has always been a strong supporter
of female driven narratives and female filmmakers.
She was raised in a small town near Milwaukee
and attended Northwestern University.
In addition to her documentary work,
she's had a prolific career
directing commercials, short films and feature films.
Tonight, we get to see
Heidenreich's feature directorial documentary debut.
The War to be Her starts now on Wisconsin Public Television,
your home for independent film.