A Bangladeshi documentary film Fight Acid Violence and its director Dr Shahida Akhter has been honoured in Jakarta, Indonesia on the occasion of the International Film Festival on Women, Social Issues and Zero Discrimination 2016.

The award ceremony was organised by International Film Festival Alliance in Jakarta supported by FilmFreeway, Radio Republik Indonesia, United Nations and other partners to celebrate International Women’s Day and Zero Discrimination Day 2016 on 7-8 March 2016, says a press release.

The main mission of the International Film Festival for Women, Social Issues, and Zero Discrimination is to support & promote the filmmakers from all over the world, and to raise awareness towards issues relating to women and social issues in general, and to help the United Nations promote peace and its humanitarian goals.

The festival also aims to showcase the films/documentaries of independent filmmakers/directors, who produce films/documentaries for social cause, for the benefit of people and the society, for positive impact on the people, and their films contain social messages and also the power to make change.

The film festival was inaugurated on 3 March 2016 and it will continue up to 28 March 2016 being screened in different venues.

Films and documentaries from various parts of the world contested in the festival, and the Filmmakers, Directors, Producers, Actors, Singers of Indonesia, USA, Canada, Italy, England, Australia, Egypt, Africa, Sri Lanka, Singapore, India and Bangladesh attended the festival. Those who could not physically attend the festival, they sent representatives from respective Embassy to receive their awards.

Dr Shahida Akhter is the only filmmaker from Bangladesh to attend the festival and receive the prestigious awards.

The awards program was held on 6-7 March that included city tour, radio interview, film discussion/master class, press conference, awards speech along with awards lunch, dinner etc. The awards ceremony was held on 7 March evening at the auditorium of Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI). Media Partner of the Awards Ceremony was RRI.

Dr Shahida Akhter received Platinum Award as the Best Director. Her documentary film Fight Acid Violence got Platinum Award as the Best Documentary Short. She also received a Special Award as Filmmaker of Inspiration.

On this great occasion, four highly distinguished and powerful women of Indonesia honoured Shahida Akhter with prestigious awards. They are: Madam Lily Wahid, advisor, Supreme Advisory Council of Indonesia; Dr Siti Nurbaya Bakar, Minister of Environment and Forestry; Khofifah Indar Parawansa, Minister of Social Affairs; Rosarita Niken Widiastuti, president and director general of Radio Republik Indonesia.

Three distinguished women of Indonesia have been honoured on this occasion for their outstanding contribution to the society, people and the country as well. Among them were two cabinet ministers: Minister of Environment and Forestry, Dr Siti Nurbaya Bakar, Minister of Social Affairs Khofifah Indar Parawansa. In addition, the award was also given to Rosarita Niken Widiastuti, the President and the Director General of Radio Republik Indonesia.