Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy writes: "'If a door hasn't opened for you, it's because you haven't kicked it hard enough' -- that is how I have lived my life. I am an accidental filmmaker, and picked up my first camera after graduating in economics and government.

"I believe in the power of storytelling, and eliciting compassion and empathy by connecting audiences with people who have the courage to tell their stories. I traveled around the world shining a light on marginalized communities, refugees, women whose resilience in the face of adversity has inspired me to amplify their story."

Obaid-Chinoy's film A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness won the 2015 Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject).