Nelofer Pazira

Nelofer Pazira is an Afghan-Canadian director, actress, journalist and writer. She grew up in Kabul; after living through ten years of Sovjet occupation, she and her family fled to Pakistan in 1989, eventually ending up in Canada. In 1996 she returned to Afghanistan, a journey portrayed in the award-winning film Kandahar (2001). She went on to direct the documentary film Return to Kandahar (2003) and the film Act of Dishonour, about honour killing and the plight of refugees, which she also wrote. Pazira was president of PEN Canada, a prominent writers’ organisation, and she is the founder of the Dyana Afghan Women’s Fund, which promotes education for women in Afghanistan.