3rd I Film Screening
A few minutes ago, I was working, and by “working” I mean “pretending to work when in fact surfing the Internet,” when I came across a fantastic event in the Chi-Town area. I am sure most of you have heard of 3rd I, if not, you really should go check them out. Well, Third I is having a film screening on Sunday, April 30th at 7:00 PM at Chicago Filmmakers. Two films will be featured; both of which address the effects war have on South Asian women.
The first film is…
The first film is…
"When the Storm Came" by Shilpi Gupta
The women of Kunnan Pushpora trek through the jungle to collect firewood for fuel in the militarized valley nestled at the foothills of the Himalayas in Kashmir. But they are haunted by a night now deeply entrenched in their collective memory. "When the Storm Came" tells their story and gives a human face to the commonly used "weapon" of war - rape.
Through evocative interviews with women and men in the village, the film recreates the night of February 23, 1991, when villagers say they were victims of a mass rape at the hands of Indian security forces. A brief look at the history of India and Pakistan with respect to Kashmir provides context to the charged situation in the Himalayan paradise.
After spending the last few weeks discussing war in my human rights class, I have to say that the violence that exists in our world seems to have no bounds. Each week I return from class, a little more devastated from learning what human beings are capable of doing to anyone they see as less than human. One of the most depressing classes I ever attended occurred a few weeks ago, when we learned of how rape was used as a weapon of war. I was shocked to learn that even though it is illegal, most fighters still believe that rape is a legitimate “spoil of war.” I am so glad that someone has made a film about the situation in Kashmir, because the Human Rights Watch report I read about the treatment of women in that region was troubling to say the least.
The second film is…
"A Certain Liberation" by Yasmine Kabir
Gurudasi Mondol gave herself up to madness in 1971, during the Liberation War of Bangladesh. Thirty years later, Gurudasi continues to roam the streets of a small-town in rural Bangladesh, in quest of all she has lost; snatching at will from strangers and breaking into spaces normally reserved for men. She is unafraid of authority and scorns it. In her madness, she has found a strategy for survival. Gurudasi has attained near legendary status. Through her indomitable presence, she has kept alive the spirit of the Liberation War.
Sounds intriguing doesn’t it? I have never heard of Gurudasi Mondol, but that’s not saying much. However, I am looking forward to learning more.
I know that Sunday night might not be the most convenient time and it may even be a pain to organize getting to the location, believe me, I understand all that. In fact, I am not even sure how I am going to manage it. However, I think that these two films are going to totally be worth all the effort it takes to go see them. For more details about the event, click here. I hope to see you there!
posted by tanvi @ 12:39 PM
1 Comments:
Yay!! Yet another event we're probably not going to make but we will be dreaming about going anyway;)
Alas, if only we could find some way to get there...and back...
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