The emotional film, set against the backdrop of a war-torn Afghanistan, took home a coveted golden statuette at the 92nd annual Academy Awards for Best Short Documentary.

The documentary has been making the award circuits and last week won big at the BAFTAs.

A short film looking at the power of girls, it follows the Skateistan School House and Skatepark in Kabul, Afghanistan, which teaches girls how to read, write – and skateboard.

Young Afghan girls skateboard to get away from the war and to engage with one another.

“[The girls] would be very much in the house around the women helping out, hanging onto skirts, trying not to be bored and taking care of the boys or the babies, whichever there are more of or who needs it,” director Carol Dysinger said.