I must admit. I have never watched a foreign film. But after watching, Dukhtar, my skepticism and opinions of foreign films have changed. As an American, I view the world through my first-world “lens” and fail to see the valuable contributions that other countries have made. This film was pure cinematic ingenuity. However, the visuals didn’t leave a lasting impact. It was the feminist and religious undertones throughout the film that left a mark for me.

Ripe with powerful lessons, Dukhtar showed me the power of discomfort. Allah Rakhi, the mother, didn’t want her child to be a statistic, let alone a repeat of her life. Her discomfort propelled her to take big actions. I doubt Allah Rakhi knew the statistics: every year, around the world, nearly 15 million girls lose their childhood to marriage and for me this is an unacceptable reality. Child brides often show signs symptomatic of sexual abuse and post-traumatic stress such as feelings of hopelessness, helplessness and severe depression.

She risked her life in order to ensure that her daughter was protected. She had faith. And while, I wasn’t sure about the characters religious beliefs, the ambiguity allowed me to shape my own meaning. And while this movie is suppose to be about the daughter. I focused primarily on the mother and her sacrifice, which is also a reoccurring theme throughout the Bible. Throughout every leg of the turn, she was lucky. But I saw it differently. Her path was blessed and watched over. Ironically, that is the meaning of Allah Raki is “God protects.”

While god protects, he also forgives. In a way, this journey to free her daughter was how this mother forgave herself for not fighting hard enough for her own freedom. By fighting for her daughter’s freedom, she forgave herself and her situation. This film caused me to think deep and hard about what privileges I have because people fought for my freedom. I’m thankful for the love of individuals who have protected my path and for those that are working hard to ensure that it remains smooth.