Born into Brothels
USA | 140 mins | Documentary
Dirs: Ross Kauffman and Zana Briski
Synopsis: Briski, a documentary photographer, went to Kolkata to photograph prostitutes. While there, she befriended their children and offered to teach the children photography to reciprocate being allowed to photograph their mothers. The children were given cameras so they could learn photography and possibly improve their lives. The resulting photographs, often astonishing, were exhibited around the world; many of them are seen in this film, which won the Academy Award for best documentary feature in 2005. Briski also recorded her efforts to place the children in boarding schools although many of the children did not end up staying very long in the schools they were placed in. Others, such as Avijit and Kochi not only went on to continue their education, but did very well.
Awards: In 2004: Academy Award – Best Documentary Feature; Audience Awards in Bermuda, Sundance; Best Film – Cleveland; Best Documentary – National Board of Review Award, Seattle.
The Blue Bird
(FREE SCREENING)
Japan | 2008 | 105 mins | Drama
Dir: Kenji Nakanishi
Synopsis: Higashigaoka Junior High School is in turmoil as one of the pupils, Noguchi, who had been bullied, committed suicide last term. On the first day of the new term, a substitute teacher arrives to take the second year class. When the teacher, Murauchi , introduces himself, the pupils are surprised by his stutter. Unable to speak eloquently, Murauchi faces his pupils with ‘words of truth’. His first instruction to the pupils is to return Noguchi’s desk and chair to the original place in the classroom. Every morning Murauchi greets the empty desk, “Good morning, Noguchi.” This causes a ripple beyond the classroom and among other teachers and parents, but Murauchi will not stop doing it. Eventually the day comes when Murauchi must leave.
