Deeyah Khan ( ur, , , born 7 August 1977) is a
Norwegian documentary
film director
A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, ...
and
human rights
Human rights are moral principles or normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for certain standards of hu ...
activist of
Punjabi/
Pashtun
Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically r ...
descent. Deeyah is a two-time Emmy Award winner, two time Peabody Award winner, a BAFTA winner and has received the
Royal Television Society award for Best Factual Director. She has made six documentaries to date, all have been shown on
ITV in the UK as part of its
Exposure series.
Her debut film as director and producer, ''
Banaz A Love Story'' (2012) about the
honor killing
An honor killing (American English), honour killing (Commonwealth English), or shame killing is the murder of an individual, either an outsider or a member of a family, by someone seeking to protect what they see as the dignity and honor of ...
of a British-Kurdish woman won an
Emmy
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
and a
Peabody.
Her second documentary, ''
Jihad: A Story of the Others'', nominated for a
BAFTA,
Grierson and
Monte-Carlo Television Festival
The Monte-Carlo Television Festival is held every year in June in the Principality of Monaco at the Grimaldi Forum, under the Honorary Presidency of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco.
The opening ceremony inaugurates each new edition, intro ...
involved two years interviewing Islamic extremists and convicted terrorists. Her 2017 documentary ''
White Right: Meeting The Enemy'' was also Bafta-nominated and won an Emmy award for Best International Current Affairs Documentary and the
Rory Peck Award for Best Current Affairs documentary in 2018— this film saw Deeyah travel to the United States where she shadowed neo-Nazis at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville.
She is the founder and CEO of production company
Fuuse, which specializes in
documentary film
A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in term ...
s,
digital media
Digital media is any communication media that operate in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital media can be created, viewed, distributed, modified, listened to, and preserved on a digital electronics device. ' ...
platforms and content for television broadcasters and live events.
She is also the founder and editor-in-chief of
sister-hood Magazine which spotlights the diverse voices of women of Muslim heritage.
In 2016 Khan became the inaugural
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador is an official postnominal honorific title, title of authority, legal status and job description assigned to those goodwill ambassadors and advocates who are designated by the United Nations. UNESCO goodwill ambass ...
for Artistic Freedom and Creativity.
Biography
Birth and ancestry
Khan was born at
Ullevål University Hospital
Ullevaal Stadion () is an all-seater football stadium located in Oslo, Norway. It is the home ground of the Norway national football team, and the site of the Norwegian Cup Final. From its opening in 1926 to 2009 it was the home ground of ...
in Oslo, Norway to
Sunni
Sunni Islam () is the largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word ''Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia ...
Muslim parents, her mother being Afghan and her father being Pakistani. Her brother is
Adil Khan, a screen and theater actor.
Music training and early career
Khan started her career as a music artist, a singer and stage performer in the public eye in Norway from the age of 7. At first she was a singer and performer of traditional South Asian classical and folk music, then became a composer and producer of world music. Khan's father was a music enthusiast and in 1984 placed his seven-year-old daughter under the supervision of
Ustad Bade Fateh Ali Khan. Deeyah studied
Pakistani and
North Indian classical forms of music under him.
At the age of eight, Deeyah made her first performance on national television appearing on the
primetime
Prime time or the peak time is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for a television show. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to ...
show ''Halv Sju'', then performed at festivals. Deeyah was also the member of
NRK girls choir as well receiving some music lessons with African American soprano
Anne Brown
Anne Brown (August 9, 1912March 13, 2009) was an American soprano for whom George Gershwin rewrote the part of "Bess" into a leading role in the original production of his opera ''Porgy and Bess'' in 1935.
She was also a radio and concert singe ...
. She also spent several years receiving further musical training from Ustad
Sultan Khan.
Because music is considered to be a dishonourable profession for women in many Muslim communities Khan faced severe abuse and death threats for several years in Norway. Initially the harassment and condemnation were directed towards her parents: "I remember my dad having to defend the fact that I was doing music, even as a child. I remember this at eight, nine years old where ... various people come to the house and say, 'We don't even let our sons do it, why would you let your daughter do this?'".
Despite the increased pressure and threats of violence Khan's family continued to support her. After being attacked on stage at her own concert and enduring sustained intimidation, she moved to London at the age of 17 to live and work.
She continued to compose and produce music. She recorded her last CD ''Ataraxis'' as a vocalist in 2006 which featured jazz pianist
Bob James,
Police
The police are a Law enforcement organization, constituted body of Law enforcement officer, persons empowered by a State (polity), state, with the aim to law enforcement, enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citize ...
guitarist
Andy Summers
Andrew James Summers (born 31 December 1942), is an English guitarist who was a member of the rock band The Police. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a band member in 2003. Summers has recorded solo albums, collaborated w ...
and Norwegian trumpeter
Nils Petter Molvær
Nils Petter Molvær () also known as NPM (born 18 September 1960) is a Norwegian jazz trumpeter, composer, and record producer. He is considered a pioneer of future jazz, a genre that fuses jazz and electronic music, best showcased on his most ...
. Khan has continued to work in the music industry as a music producer including creating platforms for musicians and artists who are persecuted or discriminated against for their creative expression.
Discography
Albums
*1992: ''I alt slags lys''
*1996: ''Deepika''
*2007: ''Ataraxis''
Compilation albums
Singles
*1995: "Get Off My Back"
*1995: "History"
*1995: "Color of My Dreams"
*2005: "Plan of My Own" / "I Saw You"
-
UK peak: #37
Filmmaking
Deeyah made her directorial debut with the documentary Banaz A Love Story. The film received its UK premiere at the
Raindance Film Festival
Raindance is an independent film festival and film school that operates in major cities including London, Los Angeles, New York, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Budapest, Berlin, and Brussels. The festival was established in 1992 by Elliot Grove t ...
in London September 2012. This was Deeyah's first film as a director and producer. It has won critical acclaim and international awards, including the 2013 Emmy award for best international documentary film. The film is being used to train British police about honor killings.
Filmography
Fuuse
Deeyah is founder and CEO of
Fuuse which is a multi platform independent media company based in Oslo and London. Started in 2010 Fuuse is a production company that tells the stories of marginalized people particularly highlighting the voices of women, people from minorities and
third culture kid
Third culture kids (TCK) or third culture individuals (TCI) are people who were raised in a culture other than their parents' or the culture of their country of nationality, and also live in a different environment during a significant part of thei ...
s. Fuuse creates documentary films and produces an online magazine which promotes the diverse voices of women of Muslim heritage called sister-hood and the company produces live events and conferences in the intersection of art and activism
Views and activism
Deeyah is an outspoken activist for human rights, freedom of expression, peace and equality. Deeyah actively addresses women’s rights. Deeyah has written opinion pieces for publications including ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', ''
Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'',
''The Mirror'', ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its s ...
'',
''ITV'' and
''VG''. Khan is a strong critic of
far-right politics
Far-right politics, also referred to as the extreme right or right-wing extremism, are political beliefs and actions further to the right of the left–right political spectrum than the standard political right, particularly in terms of being ...
and campaigns extensively against racism and anti-immigration policies. She is also known for challenging the growing radicalization and extremism within Muslim communities. Deeyah conceived of and founded
Sister-hood in 2007, whose aim is to provide an outlet of artistic expression for young aspiring Muslim female artists in different disciplines. Sister-hood was relaunched in 2016 as a global online magazine and live events platform promoting the voices of women of Muslim heritage.
Khan founded
Memini in early 2011, a global digital initiative to promote remembrance of victims of honour killings worldwide. Memini was given a True Honour award by UK charity Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation along with several other UK campaigners.
In February 2012, Khan founded Honour Based Violence Awareness network with Joanne Payton of
Cardiff University
, latin_name =
, image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg
, image_size = 150px
, caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University
, motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord
, mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord
, established = 1 ...
(HBVA), a digital resource centre working to advance understanding and awareness of
Honour Killings and Honour Based Violence through research, training and information.
In 2016, Deeyah delivered a
TED talk titled: "What We Don’t Know About Europe’s Muslim Kids and Why We Should Care". She shares her experiences of being the child of an Afghan mother and Pakistani father raised in Norway, stuck between her family's community and her country. In her emotional talk she unearths the rejection and isolation felt by many Muslim kids growing up in the West – and the deadly consequences of not embracing youth before extremist groups do.
Awards, nominations, honors
*1996: Received an Honor Award from the for being a cultural bridge, creating understanding and tolerance through her musical and artistic contributions.
*2009: Recipient, with
Cont Mhlanga and
Belarus Free Theatre, of the international
Freedom to Create Prize.
*2012: Given the
Ossietzky Award,
Norwegian PEN´s prize for outstanding achievements within the field of
freedom of expression
Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The right to freedom of expression has been recogni ...
.
*2013: Shortlisted for the
Liberty Human Rights Arts Award.
*2015: Awarded
Plan
A plan is typically any diagram or list of steps with details of timing and resources, used to achieve an objective to do something. It is commonly understood as a temporal set of intended actions through which one expects to achieve a goal.
...
Jentepris (given each 11 October, the
International Day of the Girl Child
International Day of the Girl Child is an international observance day declared by the United Nations; it is also called the Day of Girls and the International Day of the Girl. October 11, 2012, was the first Day of the Girl Child. The observati ...
) by its Norwegian branch.
*2015: Named a
Young Global Leader in the field of the arts.
*2015: Named a
Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a US$25,000 gift from Edsel Ford. By 1947, after the death ...
Visiting Fellow for the program, The Art of Change.
*2015: Received the
University of Oslo’s Human Rights Award for championing women's rights and freedom of expression through her art and activism.
*2016: Given
Gunnar Sønsteby Prize. The award had been established in the memory of
Gunnar Sønsteby and to honour persons and organisations which courageously defend the fundamental values of democracy and help ensure the freedom and independence of Norway.
*2016: Received the
Peer Gynt Prize (given to people and institutions who have highlighted Norway internationally).
*2016: Received a
Telenor Culture Award for artistic achievements which touch on some of the most important themes of the present, including women`s rights, freedom of expression, and fundamental values.
*2016: Appointed
Goodwill Ambassador
Goodwill ambassador is a post-nominal honorific title, a professional occupation and/or authoritative designation that is assigned to a person who advocates for a specific cause or global issue on the basis of their notability such as a publ ...
for
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
for artistic freedom and creativity, making her both the first
Scandinavia
Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swed ...
n to have been so appointed and the first goodwill ambassador for artistic freedom and creativity.
*2017: Appointed a member of the governing body of
Arts Council Norway, to sit from 2018 through 2021.
*2018: Received an honorary doctorate from
Emerson College
Emerson College is a private college with its main campus in Boston, Massachusetts. It also maintains campuses in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California and Well, Limburg, Netherlands ( Kasteel Well). Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as ...
for her achievements as a documentary film-maker.
*2020: Received
Fritt Ord Award Fritt Ord Award consists of two prizes awarded by the Fritt Ord Foundation (''Stiftelsen Fritt Ord''). Two prizes are awarded in support of freedom of speech and freedom of expression; the Fritt Ord Award ( no, Fritt Ords pris) and the Fritt Or ...
for making "fearless and methodically innovative documentaries about extremism".
*2020: Won
Schwarzkopf Europe Award.
*2021:Named the
Earls of Lade
The Earls of Lade ( no, ladejarler) were a dynasty of Norse '' jarls'' from Lade (Old Norse: ''Hlaðir''), who ruled what is now Trøndelag and Hålogaland from the 9th century to the 11th century.
The seat of the Earls of Lade was at Lade ...
2021.
*2022: Received Anders Jahre's Culture Award which is established and named after
Anders Jahre.
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Deeyah
1977 births
Living people
Norwegian women's rights activists
Norwegian human rights activists
Norwegian people of Pakistani descent
Norwegian feminists
Norwegian people of Pashtun descent
Norwegian people of Punjabi descent
Norwegian film directors
Norwegian documentary filmmakers
Norwegian women film directors
BAFTA winners (people)
Peabody Award winners
News & Documentary Emmy Award winners
Norwegian emigrants to the United States
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors