Born into Brothels is a documentary film by Ross Kauffman and Zana Briski, the film won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Zana takes a trip to the Red Light District of Calcutta, India where she plans on taking a closer look at the lives of the women that work the brothels. Zana ended up growing strong bonds with the children which inhabited the brothels, the children of the women of the line. "The line" is what it is called to work as a prostitute in the brothels, this is where the young girls are headed if Zana is unable to find a better place for them to go. Zana begins organizing gatherings between the children and herself in order for her to teach the photography.
The film starts with brief introductions of each of Zana's students given from the point of view of Puja, a student of Zana herself. Zana spends a good part of the film attempting to get these children accepted to boarding schools in order to escape their futureless lives. "There is nothing called 'hope' in my future," Avijit, a student of Zana, claims days after his mother had been burnt to death in her kitchen by her pimp. This film definately illustrates not only the difficulties that these children face living in the District day in and day out, it also demonstrates how difficult it is to get important things accomplished. Zana had numerous problems trying to get the proper paper work in order for the children to even apply for these boarding schools. From ration cards to passports everything seemed to process at dinosaur pace.
A fund raiser was put on by Zana in New York. Robert Pledge took interest in her project and helped her get the Oxford Gallery to hold an auction in which photographs taken by the children would be auctioned off in order to raise money for the boarding school tuitions.
Avijit is chosen along with eight other select child photographers from around the world to travel to Amsterdam to view and discuss various photos. This is where Zana finds out the difficulties of acquiring a passport, after eight hours of waiting and countless others getting everything prepared Avijit was able to get the documents he needed in order to take advantage of this great opportunity.
Zana is able to get more than half of the children into one of two boarding schools, Future Hope and Sabera, only Kochi the shy one of the group had reportedly continued her education, the other children all returning home for several different reasons. Zana shows a great care for these children and a great amount of dedication in trying to offer these children better lives and I admire her for that. This film will definately open your eyes to a dark situation in Calcutta that is otherwise unrecognized around the world.
2 comments on Born Into Brothels: A Documentary Review
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To what extent are the children "empowered" by Zana's efforts, do you think?
Good report.
I might be butting in here, but this topic interests me. Because of Zana's efforts, her absolute dedication to these kids, and commitment to their futures, she is showing them that someone cares about them, and cares about where they are headed. The children are surrounded by people, their own parents included, asking them when they are going to fall in line with the culture they are already part of; they are not telling them, pushing them, helping them to be or do something bigger and better. All it takes is one voice telling us we deserve better to really believe it for ourselves, and shoot for it. Zana is showing these kids that there's another way.