« You make the difference! » is the main message The Sari Soldiers addresses to the people in Nepal, especially to the women. This documentary makes voices heard by portraying six women of different backgrounds, women who have in common being dedicated to their individual convictions in times of crisis.
The film will be screened in the presence of the director, today, 5th November, at Utopia, 7 pm. The projection has been organised by association Aide à l’Enfance de l’Inde (AEI) as part of sensibilisation campaing: “Images de l’Inde et du Népal: Voies de femmes”.
Essential part of the Sari Soldiers Project are the screenings in Nepal. Some open air screenings have been attended by up to 4’000 people, some of them walking for hours to get there. Since funding has been limited, Sari Soldiers hasn’t been accessible in all districts. By handing out a manual to the facilitators on how to start a discussion based on the film, active participation in the forming of Nepal’s uncertain future has been broadened.
Apparently there wasn’t much repression against the filmmakers. Keeping low profile during filming was the strategy to avoid violent confrontation. The army PR section has bigger problems than The Sari Soldiers, like mass graves being opened. Though invited to view the film, only some low grade servicemen attended a screening in Kathmandu. Further, the film doesn’t demonize any conflict party, but rather shows individual truths. Third point why there hasn’t been attempts to interfere in the filmmaking might be, that everyone seems to blame the king and some former military elite for the crimes during the years of conflict, people who aren’t in reach of justice’s arm.
Once again old personnel in new institutions: keep the machine running!
Director and Producer Julie Bridgham has lived for extended periods in Nepal over the past six years where she produced and directed numerous documentaries including several documentaries for the United Nations and the films Indentured Daughters, a documentary on Nepali girls sent into bonded labor, as well as the films Hope in the Himalayas and Children of Hope for the Nepalese Youth Opportunity Foundation.
Nepal is going through times of change. Women literacy is as low as 35% whereas men literacy is at 63%. Birth rate is high and child mortality is on top of the lists. Girls and young women are married at age of 15 or 16. Education access and travelling freedom is difficult for women. Women make up only 8% on civil posts. Until recently the laws even prevented women of landownership.
When a lot of men have been recruited during the times of conflict, some remote villages have been inhabited only or mostly by women children and elders. This opened up traditional men domains to women. Limited possibilities for women were a driving force on women joining the maoist movement. In 2004 some 35% of the maoist personnel was female.
Nepal has turned secular only in 2006. The caste system divides the people of Nepal. 80% of the population is hindu, making life especially difficult for untouchables.
The Sari Soldiers, Thursday, 5th November, ciné Utopia, 7 pm
