SAAYA - Our Real Demons

Saaya: Our Real Demons is the first documentary to explore the issues and taboos surrounding perinatal mental illness in Pakistan. More than 40% of women in Pakistan experience mental illness during pregnancy, and due to a lack of medical validation and treatment, the widely accepted explanation is often that they are demonically possessed, leading to treatment accordingly. The film provides unprecedented access to both a woman fighting for her life as she struggles in real time with perinatal mental illness and a full spectrum of voices close to the issue, including doctors and exorcist healers.

Director: Halimah Tariq

Country: Pakistan