Born into Brothels
Born Into Brothels is a documentary about the inspiring non-profit foundation Kids With Cameras, which teaches photography skills to children in marginalized communities. In 1998, New York-based photographer Zana Briski started photographing prostitutes in the red-light district of Calcutta. She eventually developed a relationship with their children, who were fascinated by her equipment.
After several years of learning in workshops with Briski, the kids created their own photographs with point-and-shoot 35 mm cameras. Their images capture the intimacy and color of everyday life in the overpopulated sections of Calcutta. Proceeds from the sale of the children’s photographs go to fund their future education. Directed by Briski and filmmaker Ross Kauffman, Born Into Brothels was shown at the Sundance Film Festival in 2004 as part of the documentary competition.
The photography is splendid, rich in color and subject matter, and the video camera following Briski through the squalid red light district, pausing to hear abusive mothers and drugged fathers deny their children passage into a better life, hearing the wisdom of the elders who desire something more for these children, captures a world few know. Devoted as Briski and Kauffman are to their dream, they remain realistic and document an element of life in a third world country that is illuminating. This is a touching film without being maudlin, beautiful without ignoring reality. In English and with subtitles for the children’s commentary. Highly Recommended. (Barnes & Noble)
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hi i love the video people should wake up to reality and start thinking among other people that dont have the same luck as them, i want to make a difference , im a senior and im 17 years old , my goal is to study artificial intelligence and when i make it , im whilling to give all the money that i will earn while working to asociations and to people especially to children that need support and help like the ones in the video ! this is an exellent presentation on whats going on in the reality world , and i will tell everyone i know about it and also put it on my myspace….
only a few of the children were lucky enough to change their future. they were lucky enough only because they were chosen by the film directors to cast in their movie.
other wise they too would have gone in the line. i wish voluntary organistions in india itself take the initiative to make a change in the life of these less fortunate people. once they are forced into this hard life, they become numb towards everything. that is why some of them even dont care about their children and wasted the opportunity to educate them. how can they love their children? afterall they are the burdens in their lives cos they are not born out of love.
Hi, I only see this documentary as a beautiful to show teenagers and young children that what they say they suffer is nothing compared to what these children go through everyday. The fact that modern teens believe everything should come easy and with out work is completely wrong. Lucky for those children in Calcutta that they have great people willing to help them with no cost. I wish them all a blessing and have those children in my prayers. Expecially Gour and Puja. Lucky Avijit is in NYU. God Bless Them
This was a very powerful film and one well deserving of an Oscar. The producer of Born into Brothels, Geralyn Dreyfous, continues to engage in projects that focus on social change and injustice — and she has a lot to say about all of them.
Check out this brand new interview with Geralyn on the webshow “Give and Take” and learn more about her creative process.
http://juliemenin.com/2009/06/geralyn-dreyfous-part-i/
A must see documentary.
Speechless…….is my state just after watching this film. It’s an eye-opener. Even as we all claim to believe in solidarity but, most of us are not making any effort or not able to really do something.
I am really happy that atleast few of the kids are now able to live better lives and I wish it was true & possible for all of them and every child in Sonagachi who has not been shot in the film.
Infact, a show called The Unstoppable Indians on Indian TV News Channel NDTV covered a documentary “The birth of a Union” on the lives of women in Sonagachi and how few of these women working in brothels have founded a union and a board, set up a cooperative bank, healthcare center and many other associations to make themselves and their children live a better and secure life. Infact, I came to know about “Born into Brothels” only after watching this video on the TV channel.
Here is the video of the same
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUO_RZdM-is
Atleast, we see that some of these women still want to live better lives beyond the Asia’s largest Red Light District, Sonagachi. No one wants to get into such kind of work on her own will, it’s the circumstances that make these women get into it.
The most important thing is how to prevent their children from getting into this profession and embrace studies and education. Well, that demands a huge effort. But, it is possible.
An amazing film. I couldn’t tear myself away from it..thanks for sharing this brilliant story, awakening and enriching so many lives
A really touching documentary!!
So captivating…very powerful.
Im so sad the kids didn’t go to school; only those few that their parents supported them. It just goes to show how much education can go and how much some people with they could have. Americans trough away this blessing by dropping out of school. I am a university student and want to achieve a carrier as a teacher to make a difference in this world. My dream has always been to go to all these third world countries and make a difference.
GR8 MOVIE.. I guess its high time we Indians wake up to reality, shed aside d burden of age-old ignorance. I don’t know which stand is correct but I know that its all pervasive and in all ages. during mauryan times prostitution was legal and taxed. there is no world as we dream of ‘Ram-rajya” I believe it should be legalized as we are denying some fundamental rights to prostitutes.
Saw this in class once..watch Tales of the Night Fairies by Shohini Ghosh. Ah-may-ZING !!
One of the absolute best documentaries on this beautiful site.
I am so touched by these people’s lives and how they cope with their environment. How such brilliance and talent can emerge from such squallor is an inspiration to everyone.
I lived in India for 2 years and now live in Amsterdam. I hope to have my Indian nephew visit next year – the difference between a 13 year old Indian child and a 13 year old European is more than a world apart. I just wish I had done something this useful in my time in India – top marks to Zara Auntie – I hope she finds some happiness in her achievements. It is so difficult to make a change in a place where everyone accepts their lot as ‘karma’.
The real saint is the one who has a heart of gold- Zara Auntie, you are no less. May you find all happiness in life. Hats off to you.
Vics
Manufactured impropaganda. why is it flipping through various film types, various camera types. if you understand the language, they dont talk about anythign close to a sex related. that is more of a slumtown, they live like that because the animus ai was getting to them. the same ai that takes over goverments, by doctoring the info, the world of stitchens. the narrator speaks for everyone in the video. english was the last language to be learned. if your name is C. Paine. then you will always see/feel pain for rhe duration of your life. a portion of the population is controled through command archtecture. a dna based virus was created that infected the machineworld.
A superb documentary, finished watching it at 2 am. I spoke about it in my travel blog’s facebook page http://bit.ly/a3UlhI and a fan told me that all the children are apparently doing well and sent me a link with an update on their lives 8 years later. This is it: http://bit.ly/dCyjTJ
Enjoy this documentary!