When and what made you pick on the subject of acid attack for your documentary Saving Face? Daniel Junge, the co-director of Saving Face, contacted me early in 2011. He wanted me to collaborate with him on this project.

He had heard an interview of Dr Jawad on BBC and had reached out to him with regard to his reconstructive work with British model and acid attack victim, Katie Piper. Upon hearing about Dr Jawad's extensive work with acid violence victims in Pakistan, Daniel decided to make a film that highlighted and celebrated his efforts.

The film was in pre-production stage when I came on board. Saving Face is a film about the way in which Pakistani communities are battling the rising issue of acid violence.

The film features Zakia and Rukhsana who survived acid attack by their husbands, as they traverse the path towards recovery and fight for justice. It also features the countrymen that rallied together to help them.

To what extent is acid attack a reality in Pakistan? When I learnt that Saving Face was going to be a film documenting acid attacks in Pakistan, I immediately decided to come on board. About 150 acid attacks occur in Pakistan annually but they are rarely covered by the media.

I was confident that this film would go a long way in spreading awareness about the issue and facilitating critical discourse. The film started a difficult conversation in Pakistan and helped bring acid violence to the forefront in terms of pertinent issues faced by the country today.

What is the current state of acid attacks in Pakistan, especially after your documentary release? Since Saving Face won the Academy Award, acid crimes have become a national concern and I have received a flood of emails from individuals and organizations that want to join the effort to counter acid violence. As the safety of the subjects of the film is of utmost importance Daniel and I have decided not to release the film in Pakistan.

However Saving Face Outreach has partnered with Islamic Help, an organisation based in the UK, to deliver educational information in the areas where acid attacks are concentrated. We have also begun airing Public Service Messages that capture the devastating effects of acid violence, as well as the penalty leveraged against perpetrators by the Pakistani government, on television and radio.

We are confident that these methods, along with Islamic Help's programme aimed at altering the mindset that supports gender based violence, will go a long way in tackling the phenomenon in Pakistan. What is the status of the protagonists of the documentary post the Oscar win? Zakia now lives independently from her husband and is leading a secure and safe life.

Rukhsana chose to return to her husband and is currently with him. Dr.

Jawad continues to travel to Pakistan to perform reconstructive surgeries regularly. What is the current state of violence against women and children in Pakistan? Unfortunately violence against women is a nationwide issue.

It is prevalent in rural areas such as the Saraiki belt where acid attacks are concentrated, but also in households in urban centers. There are a multitude of organizations that are working to provide victims of domestic violence with shelter and support, and trying to sensitise men towards gender-based violence.

While violence against women and children is a very difficult issue to combat and has still not been wiped out from progressive countries in the West, there are people in Pakistan who are working towards it. As a filmmaker I strive to draw attention to human rights issues and shed light on the conditions of marginalized societies.

I am particularly drawn to the narratives of women and children. In what ways has winning an Oscar changed your life? The Oscar has changed my life considerably; the award helped promote Saving Face, which in turn provided much needed awareness about acid violence.

It has opened many doors for me, and has given me the chance to meet some extraordinary people in the film industry. In many other ways however, my life remains the same.

I continue to work hard and put my all into every project. What was the reaction in Pakistan? The reaction was incredible; the Oscar became a national headline in a matter of minutes.

The amount of well wishes and congratulatory messages I received were humbling and overwhelming. I felt proud to have represented my country on such a prestigious stage, and the support I received was exhilarating to experience, and has motivated me to continue producing work that makes my country proud.

What subjects and issues are of popular interests in film making in Pakistan? I think that the Pakistani film industry is evolving at a remarkable rate; we are slowly moving away from formulaic action packed films that have been synonymous with Lollywood for decades and are exploring other genres and film styles. The independent film industry also coming of age and more short films and animated films are being produced.

In terms of content, contemporary filmmakers have addressed a number of political and social issues through their films, including violence against women, social class and education. How challenging is it to be a woman documentary filmmaker in Pakistan? I have never faced any obstacles due to the fact that I am a woman filmmaker.

On the contrary, my gender has often played in my favour as I was given more access than my male colleagues and was not seen as a 'threatening' presence during shoots. If anything, I would say that being a filmmaker in Pakistan is difficult, regardless of your gender, because securing funds and finding avenues to promote your work can be very tedious.

Please share your thoughts on your current India visit and participation in the IHC film fest Visiting India is always a treat for me, and this trip has been a valuable experience; Mumbai and Delhi remain amongst my favourite cities in the world. Participating in the IHC film festival has been a rewarding experience and I am grateful for all of the support and encouragement I have received during my trip.

How was the response to the screening of your film in India? The response was overwhelmingly positive. It was heartening to see such a strong and passionate response from India, especially because acid violence is a growing issue here as well.

I think it's imperative that we share resources and ideas across our borders in order to collectively counter this issue. Showing Saving Face in India was the first step in that process, but a lot more can be done.

What are your future projects? I am currently producing a six-part documentary series by the name of Ho Yaqeen, which is airing on local television in Pakistan right now. Each episode of the show features the work of an unknown yet extraordinary Pakistani who is bettering their community in a variety of ways.

So far, we have featured an educationist from Karachi, a community organizer in Kashmir and a drug rehabilitation service provider in Peshawar (less)