Deeyah Khan wins Emmy Award in New York

Norwegian Asian filmmaker Deeyah Khan walked away with an Emmy Award for Best International Current Affairs film at the event held in New York earlier this week.

Khan’s film ‘Banaz: A Love Story’, which won the award, explores the notorious ��honour�۪ killing of Banaz Mahmood in South London, and the subsequent police investigation that led to the conviction of her father and other male relatives for her death.

Khan took to Facebook to describe her feelings on the award, ���An unforgettable and very special evening- as well as feelings of joy there is an overwhelming sadness about Banaz and what she went through in her very short life.�۝

Deeyah originally rose to fame on the British Asian music scene as a singer during the late ’90s Asian music boom. Dubbed ‘the Muslim Madonna’, she was eventually forced to retire from performing due to threats and violence from disapproving members of the community. She went on to become a leading women�۪s rights activist, releasing music and films under her ‘Fuuse’ label. ‘Banaz: A Love Story’ has received several other awards, both from the film industry and from international women�۪s rights groups.

Coming in the same year that Jasvinder Sanghera was awarded the C.B.E. in the UK, Deeyah�۪s Emmy is further confirmation of the international appetite for activism against forced marriage and ��honour�۪-based violence.