message in the movies By Rev. Bruce Batchelor Glader

            
Born Into Brothels   Rated R

Directed by Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman. Documentary. 
 

Photo © Copyright ThinkFilm
“Two tickets for ‘Born Into Brothels’, please.”  The girl at the ticket window giggled as she heard my request, and – I must admit – I felt a little uneasy saying the title, as well.  But to understand the discomfort of this film’s title is to begin to gain a sense of this movie’s compassion for its subjects – the children of prostitutes in Calcutta, India.  Filmmakers Briski and Kauffman first came to Calcutta to film the stories of the red light district, only to discover that they were shunned by just about everyone they met.  (Prostitution is a major crime in India, with harsh penalties; it is also the only source of income for the poorest of the poor.) The visitors and their cameras, however, fascinated the children. An interesting idea is hatched: Why not give cameras to the kids and let them shoot photographs of their neighborhood?  As the children (mostly 9 and 10 year olds) begin to see their photos printed, we hear their voices and truly begin to see the world through their eyes.  We will get to know them by name. They are young enough to still possess innocence and hope, but old enough (and close enough to puberty) to be on the brink of exploitation themselves.  The act of creativity is liberating, and there is palpable delight as the children are amazed at what they are able to capture on film.  Filmmaker Zana Briski is their primary teacher and narrates the film, as well.  She admits that she is not a professional educator, but her love of photography is enough.  The photographs are good enough to be featured in an exhibit and published on a calendar. One of the kids – a boy named Avajit – is truly gifted and invited to be featured in an international exhibition in Amsterdam.  The filmmakers also try to get the children into boarding schools.  In other hands, this could come off as patronizing and pious – affluent white Americans helping poor kids to get out of the ghetto – but it is clear that Briski and Kauffman are impassioned, caring, and effective.  The movie admits that the deck is stacked against these children, but what is hope if it considers the cost and then gives up?  This film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary and is one of the best films of 2004. It is well worth your time, your money, and your momentary awkwardness at the ticket window.

 Pitchfork Rating: Five halos. (A moving and genuinely redemptive film about the power of art to transform lives.)  Two pitchforks. (The theme of prostitution (there are no sex scenes), drug use, innocent infant nudity, and one woman with a mouth that scorches the subtitles.)

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