I am Malala

The Taliban threatened her, but she kept going. She was shot, but she survived and fought again. Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate.

The film is a diary of a young activist, which tells us about what she had to overcome, what fears she had to face, and why she could risk her life for education.

  • Aryna Tsyltsyna
    Director
    Editor
  • Alexander Ilyinchik
    Key Cast
    "Terrorist"
  • Vasilevskaya Yana
    Key Cast
    "Malala"
  • Vladimir Zvagelsky
    Cameraman
  • Aryna Tsyltsyna
    Writer
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Я - Малала
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Biography
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 11 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 10, 2021
  • Country of Origin:
    Belarus
  • Country of Filming:
    Belarus
  • Language:
    Russian
  • Shooting Format:
    digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    3840x1860
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Lumière International Film Festival & Awards
    Hollywood
    United States
    July 15, 2023
    US Premiere
    Official Selection
  • 14th ROFIFE Rotary International Short Film Festival and Competition
    Ankara
    Turkey
    March 18, 2022
    Turkey Premiere
    Honorable mention
  • First-Time Filmmaker Sessions @Pinewood Studious

    United Kingdom
    December 26, 2022
    Official Selection
  • Serbest International Film Festival
    Kishinev
    Moldova, Republic of
    September 5, 2022
    Moldova Premiere
    Quarter finalist
  • International Film Festival «ZILANT»
    Kazan
    Russian Federation
    November 5, 2021
    Russia Premiere
    Award of recognition
  • Artkino Short Film Festival
    Moscow
    Russian Federation
    December 11, 2021
    Official Selection
  • International Short Film Festival Movie Mouse
    Moscow
    Russian Federation
    Finalist
Director Biography - Aryna Tsyltsyna

Aryna Tsyltsyna, born on August 20, 2003, is a talented and accomplished individual from Minsk, Belarus. She has a strong academic background and a passion for the arts, particularly in the field of filmmaking.
Studying in Gymnasium №4 (graduation date: June 2020), Aryna became interested in filmmaking. She completed the "Television Direction" course at the Belarusian State Academy of Arts in 2019–2020, where she gained valuable insights and expertise in her chosen field.

After that, she continued honing her skills and fully embarked on a professional journey in directing, scriptwriting, and editing. Aryna pursued online education through the "Building Your Screenplay" course offered by the University of Cambridge in 2021 and the “Hollywood: History, Industry, and Art” course offered by the University of Pennsylvania in 2022.
Since 2020, she has created approximately 20 works. Her creative endeavors have led her to participate in nine international film festivals across the United States, the United Kingdom, Estonia, Moldova, Turkey, and Russia, where her work has been well-received and recognized.
She has worked on self-started projects and private orders, which encompass various genres such as music videos, interviews, short documentary films, and short fictional narratives.

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Director Statement

In our current times, the alarming rise of the terrorist threat is undeniable. Despite victories in battles, we continue to witness the distressing takeover of cities by terrorist groups. This prompts us to question whether warfare alone can truly resolve this issue.

Wholeheartedly concurring with the sentiments of Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, I firmly believe that education holds the power to transform our world. By equipping children with books and pens instead of arming them with machine guns, we offer them a beacon of hope for a brighter future. It is with this conviction that I have dedicated myself to spreading this profound idea and striving to make a positive impact through the creation of this film. My ultimate goal is to contribute to the improvement of the situation and inspire change, even if it is on a modest scale.