Group Project Final Cut

32FST378: Filmic Art Professor: Dr. Grace Epstein Presented by: Marco Arredondo Glenn Painter Jeff Wallin

Presentation 5: Born Into Brothels

1. Engage class in an analysis of one or two key scenes. 2. Focus on important artistic elements or innovation made in the film. 3. Give any important information about the films context and development.

4. Questions to provoke class discussion.

1. Engage class in an analysis of one or two key scenes

Scene 1: Scene where Tapasi is fetching water before she has is cursed at for not picking up the bucket.

Nine minutes into the movie Tapasi is involved in a confrontation with an older woman in her same apartment complex over a water bucket. Right beforehand, Tapasi is stating “Even if I was poor, I would have a happy life. One has to accept life as being sad and painful”. For these words to come out of her mouth to me is utterly amazing. Being eleven years old at the time, her maturity level and understanding of the world is far beyond any eleven year old child’s that I have ever come across. In a society such as ours it seems that the average eleven year old is more preoccupied with homework, little league, video games and toys rather than the ways of the world. These children are having thoughts that do not cross Westerners minds until maybe their mid twenties or thirties. “I need to do something with my sewing and photography, I need to make a living and take care of my sister and me.” The fact that she is planning on taking the guardian role over her sister at such a young age and already focusing on career choices for her future is very honorable and speaks much for her integrity. While watching their interviews during the movie I did not feel that they were children, but little adults who have hit the realities of life at a very young age. What impressed me most about the children was their commitment to their family, their acceptance as being a part of that family and having to contribute towards the family in order to have the basic necessities. Whether it was through working, washing pots, cleaning houses, cooking, babysitting, or as Avijit stated, “Some men drink and don’t pay, then I have to go after them and be mean….because that’s all we have.” The maturity level and level of responsibility placed upon these children is absolutely amazing to me, placed in the right

environment and given the proper opportunities and resources I believe there is no limit to what these kids can accomplish.

Scene 2: Last Chance

At one hour and 12 minutes into the move a sequence entitled “Last Chance” begins. The second scene involves Puja’s Grandmother and Mother reacting to an offer that has been extended for Puja to attend a boarding school that will give her wonderful opportunities for a better life. This offer is free of charge, and was apparently supported by the two family members as they accompanied Puja, Zana and the film crew to the school to fill out application paperwork. When the time arrives for Puja to go, the Grandmother denies any fear of her leaving and admits that it maker her feel good for her to go. She quickly adds an irrational addendum, though, that she cannot do this on a Thursday. Her mother died on a Thursday, and this has been a source of great suffering ever since. He mother agrees, that she should not do this today. Another day is fine. In the end, she does go, and the Grandmother is obviously sad to see her leave. This scene is a simple sequence of shots. It open with a transitional tracking shot following Puja up the stairs to introduce us to Puja’s home and set the stage for the next few shots. The next shot cuts rather crudely to Puja’s grandmother talking. This is in character with documentary filmmaking, but one gets the sense that the conversation built up to this point, and the camera person quickly trained the camera in this direction as the conversation took form. The grandmother is mostly centered in the frame, but camera motion is unstable, and jerky. This adds to the realism of the moment, and lets the viewer feel that this a conversation that is unplanned and definitely not staged. The camera then cuts to Puja’s Mother. Zana then explains that this is the last chance. It is today or never. The mother is preoccupied with chores and acknowledges the statement, but they continue to assert their position, not on a Thursday. Puja states that she is going, and ultimately does.

I believe that this also shows another aspect of the despair that these children face. Even if opportunities are found for a better life, often the parents don’t want them to go. It can be hard for us to relate to. If I was in such a desperate situation, I believe that I would jump for joy and sing praises for such an opportunity for my children. Are they selfish? Are they afraid to loose what little they have, their children? Do some of them need the money the kids can make now or the future revenue they can produce “on the line?” Are they scared, or mentally unbalanced? We are left only with unanswered questions and a feeling of disbelief at the circumstances and touch of the hopelessness and despair that the children must feel.

2. Focus on important artistic elements or innovation made in the film.

This movie can invoke a strong emotional response in the view through an association or attachment to the characters. A relationship almost develops over the one hour and 23 minutes through three phases of the film; the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. The directors’ first goal is to make a connection between the viewer and the subjects of the film. This begins in the opening shot. An image of a single naked light in a dirty building appears, swarmed by insects with the words “RED LIGHT FILMS presents” fading in. This begins to set the stage in the red light district.

Then the movie cuts to an extreme close up of the face of a child, framed left from nose to forehead, eyes looking right, toward the light (we infer this from the dark background and strong light in the foreground.) This is where the Directors first use the relationship establishing technique of the actor looking directly into the camera. In slow motion, the child’s face turns, angling toward the camera while they eyes remain fixed on their target; they the eyes turn to look us square in the face. We feel that we are not merely passive observers, but are being observed back. An uncomfortable relationship begins to build.

This disturbing is replaced by another; a bird’s eye view of a side street in Calcutta. It is shot askew, adding to the disorienting nature of the bird’s eye shot in the first place. The main street is well lit, but the side street gets progressively darker as it tracks away from it’s big brother.

A montage of scenes then play out depicting night life in the brothels, intermixed with close ups of the children while seeing shots that show the living areas of the brothels in increasing frequency until we get to the title frame. Having been drawn into the setting, we are given background information and visuals. One of the children then introduces us to each of the others in a very childlike way. She names them, and tells us something personal, and random, about them. Sometimes this is funny. Sometimes it’s inconsequential. Those of us with children can immediately identify with her and the others. We can see our own kids doing the same thing to introduce their friends. The Directors now have our attention. The body of the movie serves to develop the characters and their story. We continue to connect in the process in very standard and predictable ways. We see humor and tragedy. Their relationships and personalities are explored as we watch and see similarities and differences between them and children we know. As the movie closes, we are now hoping for good outcomes. The children are every bit as deserving of a good life, and just as much potential, as we have found out, to develop in ways similar to any other child. We see some of the children heading off for school, and some not. Avijit heads to Amsterdam and has a wonderful time. We then find out that he returned home and chose to enter the school as we would have liked; yea! The most troubled youth pulls through. Maybe they all have a chance. This begins the final run down for each of the kids.

We see a short shot of each character, first in motions, then still frozen as we learn their fate. This transitions them from the live characters we have come to know and connect with to static children again. To still have a bond, but now realize, rather suddenly, that the events have already transpired. In fact, possibly quite some time ago. We are rooting for ghosts of a sort, but continue to hope that they are all well now. Slow, sweet, ethnic string instrument music plays in the background to add to the emotion of these shots.

Manik’s dad would not let him go to school.

Puga’s mother took her out of school.

Shanti left school.

Gour still lives in the brothel.

This is not ending well. Again, we feel the despair of the children. Tapasi ran away and joined a school. That sounds … ok.

Suchitra’s aunt would not let her leave the brothel. This story isn’t turning out the way the viewer would want. Then, subtly, and quite abruptly the music changes tone. As the scene cuts to Kochi in motion, it transitions into a sustained chord, somewhat high in tone and low in volume. It suggests that something wonderful or magical is about to happen. It is at this time that the directors come back to the powerful technique that they used in the second shot of the film. They use a close up, and Kochi’s face and eyes turn to stare directly at us. We now the emotional attachment to the children that has been developed throughout the movie. We have been disappointed by the bad news about many of the children’s future. The background music builds anticipation. We are then caught off guard, and emotionally vulnerable as Kochi fixes her gaze, the act bringing about discomfort and a strong attachment to her through direct eye to eye contact as the emotional message is delivered. She stayed in school. We then see words we did not expect. “She is happy and doing well.”

This is a brilliant beginning and end to the picture. It is hard not to have an emotional reaction to this final shot, the last visual we see in the film. The use of engaging shots and techniques employed to create a personal identification with the children make this simple documentary award winning.

3. Give any important information about the films context and development. In Calcutta, there are over 7,000 women and girls who live and work as prostitutes. In 1997, New York-based photographer Zana Briski went to Calcutta to photograph the prostitutes, penetrating through the web of brothel owners, pimps, police, local politicians and organized crime syndicates to better understand their lives. While she was living in the brothels she developed relationships with a group more stigmatized than the women: their children. Spurred by their fascination with her camera, Zana began to teach them photography, and to see the world through their eyes. From 2000 to 2003, she conducted weekly workshops and taught them camera basics, lighting, composition, the development of point-of-view, editing, and sequencing for narrative. The goal of the project was to provide a safe place for the kids to be themselves, learn, have fun, and in the process, come to believe in their own self-worth. She watched in wonder as the children came back with vibrant self-portraits, family pictures, and street scenes that offered stunning tableaus of Bengali life. Zana and filmmaker Ross Kauffman documented the children and their stories in the film "Born into Brothels," which went on to win over 25 major awards, including the 2005 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Through the film, audiences all over the world learned of and fell in love with the spirited and resilient young photographers. They witnessed how art and education can empower children growing up in difficult circumstances to transform their lives. Zana founded Kids with Cameras in 2002 to raise money and awareness for the children through print sales, exhibitions, film festivals and a book of their work. The children's images have been exhibited in Calcutta, Europe and all over the U.S. A book of their photos was published in 2004. In order to help more children from Calcutta's red-light district, we have also been raising money to develop a safe home specifically for the children of prostitutes to provide an opportunity for them to learn, thrive and lead future generations. An educational curriculum based on the film has also been created to reach out to students and teachers across the U.S. and around the world. Kids with Cameras has since sent other committed and passionate photographers to teach photography to children growing up in areas of poverty, abuse or conflict. We have developed workshops for Palestinian and Israeli children in Jerusalem, child domestic workers in Haiti and the garbage collecting community in Cairo.

4. Questions to provoke class discussion.

1) What was your favorite picture and why? I really liked Avijit’s picture titled “Kids”. It is a picture of Kochi, Manik and another girl in the street. Kochi is holding a camera and all of the kids are smiling. There are some other people in the background with a car but they are not in focus. The picture is framed really well by the buildings on each side. I think that it is very impressive that a child took this picture. The reason that I like this picture in particular is that it shows how happy the kids are even after all that they have gone through and how they are treated by others for living in the red light district. There are kids that are well off here in America that do not smile as much as these kids. It is enlightening to see them so happy. 2) Which child impressed you the most? Avijit is the child that impressed me the most. I was amazed at the pictures that he took, but even more impressed by his drawings. I am not very artistic so I am very impressed by people that have natural artistic ability. I found it interesting that he did not care whether he went to school or stayed home in the red light district. I think that it took him making the trip to the World Press Photo Foundation in Amsterdam to really open his eyes to his potential and his future. I read up on the “Kids with Cameras” website and learned that he is now studying film at NYU in New York City and doing very well. I think that all of the kids were amazing but Avijit has so much natural talent and I am glad to hear that he getting the chance express himself and get a very good education. 3) How does their culture differ from ours (United States) in regards to how children are viewed and treated? In the United States children are viewed as kids. They are supposed to play and have a bunch of toys and games and live their childhoods free from any real worry. Our children are supposed to be in a period of their lives that is supposed to be the most fun, hanging out with their friends, going on vacations with their families, going to the ballpark and waiting for Santa Claus at Christmas time. This is a time of their lives that should be dominated by innocence. We keep our children in a cloud of ignorance as long as possible in order to postpone as much as we can, the real world that exists. Childhood in Calcutta appeared to be the exact opposite. Children were viewed as part of the working force for the family as soon as they could walk, they were expected to pull their weight and contribute to the family resources. There was hardly any time for games or toys. The children spent much of their time working. The harsh realities of life were learned at an early age and any innocence and naiveness the children had was quickly replaced by the realism of prostitution, violence, alcoholism, drug addiction, hunger and death. Unlike the U.S., their baptism into reality was done as soon as possible. 4) How did the Calcutta government view the people from the Red Light District? The government of Calcutta views the occupants of the Red Light District as second class citizens. This fact is presented loud and clear after Avijit’s mother had been killed by her pimp and it was noted that no police action would be taking place, she was so insignificant that it is not worth their time. It is apparent that the government could care less for these people and it does not matter if they live or die, or even how they die. They do

not receive the same governmental courtesy that is afforded to citizens living outside of the Red Light District. 5.) Should the parents of these children have the right to deny them attendance to boarding schools designed to remove them from such terrible conditions? This question covers some deep moral and ethical ground. I found the idea of these parents not allowing some of the kids to go to school disgusting. I think it is wrong, selfish and cruel. You might, then, be surprised to find that I still feel that he parents should have the right to do this. I feel very strongly about parents and individual rights. I do not like the government or certain elements of society gaining too much power over personal decisions or value judgments. There is enough power to shape social norms built into the powers that be right now. That being said, it is shameful to deny this opportunity to the kids. 6) Are there lessons we can take away from this movie and apply locally in our own areas? There are children in need of opportunity across this country. This program allowed students who don’t feel very good about themselves to achieve something. They were not used to people telling them that their opinion matters. Having a creative project like this that allows the kids to use their creativity and have their opinion be personal, matter and be correct empowers them. When they see themselves achieve in something like this, they can translate it into possible success in academics, relationships and employment. It gives them hope. They also saw someone who cared and believed in them. We can employ similar programs in our own communities and help troubled youth in the same ways. Even junior fire programs can do all of these things and change the lives of children.

Main Character identification / description for topic discussion: CHILD:

BACKGROUND:

Avijit 11, is an innately talented artist and has won many competitions for his paintings. Charismatic and restlessly creative, his images were among the most compelling of the workshop. Avijit was invited by the World Press Photo Foundation in Amsterdam to be part of their Children's Jury in 2002. In 2005, Avijit received a four year high school scholarship to attend an incredible school in America. He's begun his first year.

UPDATE (Apr 09): 20, is studying film at NYU and thriving in the program and the city.

Manik 10, lives in a small room with his sister Shanti, and loves to fly kites. Though quiet, he is a daring photographer, who likes to experiment with composition. He says he now likes photography more than kites.

17, is studying at FutureHope, where he is doing very well.

11, lives with her brother, Manik and their mother. She likes to photograph her family, but she like to use a video camera even more. Shanti filmed one of the classroom scenes in Born into Brothels.

18, is studying at FutureHope, where she is doing very well.

11, wants to be a teacher and dreams of being able to take care of her younger brother and sister. She photographs the harsh reality of her life, using the camera to tell her story. Tapasi now lives in the Sanlaap home for girls.

19, left Sabera on her own accord three years ago and has since married.

14, is a gifted photographer, taking photographs of daily life on her rooftop. Suchitra's photo of her sister's friend was chosen as the cover of the Amnesty International 2003 calendar.

22, has married and moved out of Calcutta.

10, is shy and sweet. She uses the camera to escape her surroundings, taking pictures of her family, animals, gardens, and parks. She says she prefers taking photos to editing. She now lives at the Sabera Foundation home for girls and is learning English and computer skills.

17, is studying at a private high school in Utah and getting top marks in all of her classes..

Shanti

Tapasi

Suchitra

Kochi

Puja 11, photographs mostly in her room which she shares with her mother, her great-grandmother and her pet parrots. A tomboy at heart, she and Gour are best friends.

Believed to still be living in the redlight district but has lost contact with Kids with Cameras.

13, is sensitive and thoughtful. He dislikes his environment and wants to use photography to change it. He photographs his friends playing cricket, his pet rabbits, and his best friend Puja. Gour plans to go to University with the support of Kids With Cameras.

Believed to still be living in the redlight district but has lost contact with Kids with Cameras.

Gour

REFERENCES: http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/news http://www.myspace.com/bornintobrothels http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born_into_Brothels http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388789/ http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/born_into_brothels/# http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/born_into_brothels/synopsis.html