Comments on: Born into Brothels

By: Kellyann

Kellyann — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:13:00 +0000

not everything is by choice. you must be a man and an ignorant one at that

By: vinitha

vinitha — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:11:00 +0000

Wow that as a great documentary. Happy to see that atleast two kids where brought into light. Thanks

By: dudley surrao

dudley surrao — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 14:17:00 +0000

Great documentary. Very inspiring. Is there a follow up on the two who made it out of that world? Would like to know.

By: dudley surrao

dudley surrao — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 14:16:00 +0000

Great documentary, inspiring,

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 06:58:00 +0000

your comments are quite double edged. these “sandy” countries are often mistreated from people of the western countries either way. how are the red light districts so popular in all asian countries, especially the ones with little unfortunate children? oh yeah, disgusting men from western countries. i agree theres mistreatment of women, but before the “rest of the world” can implement anything, they should have their hands cleaned before pointing those hands.

By: Natalie Miller

Natalie Miller — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 06:58:00 +0000

Are you intentionally blind and callous? What opinions would you like expressed? Those of the schools that kept the kids out? Those of the bureaucracy who’s only goal is to have their palms greased, or of the pimps and drug dealers who keep Calcutta under such a tight rein. Maybe you’d like the opinion of the businessmen who struggle so hard to keep their businesses running while westerners attempt to undermine them at any turn.

This film was told, unflinchingly, from the viewpoint of a photographer who became close to a group of women and who then became even closer and more attached to their children. That you choose to focus on her attempt to get one boy his passport, which took up, maybe, twenty minutes of a two hour documentary is myopic to the point of blindness. Her difficulties, as another poster has already said, were documented as a way to highlight a dysfunctional, corrupt system.

Of course the film has it’s flaws, but everything can be nitpicked. What I found most wrenching about this film was the simple rendering of children being children. They were the same as kids in Paris and London and New York. They laughed and they found joy in little things and they were waiting to be awed. They laughed hilariously at things only children find funny. They found ways to be happy, even growing up in squalor most of us can’t even begin to conceive of. And that, I think, is the true beauty of this film. It’s not about the filmmaker; it’s about these kids who laugh when there’s nothing to laugh about and who reach and struggle for the sun until the will for it is totally stammped out of them.

Most of us cannot conceive of this life. It’s a bummer if we don’t have a cell phone or cable tv, but there are millions upon millions of children who struggle to find fresh water. We could all do with a good dose of empathy when considering those less fortunate than us. A good dose of feminism wouldn’t hurt, either. A well educated, well informed populace will make better decisions than a populace that blindly follows.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 23:43:00 +0000

Shame on you for talking like this about these women and children. Just take a look of this documentary:
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/day-my-god-died/
Children and their mothers are being kidnapped to take them to prostitution at this district, they are raped, beaten and kept there by force.
The fact that India is rich doesn’t mean that its people are rich. It is one of these countries, such as Argentina and Bolivia, which does very well as a country from an economical point of view, but where the divide between the rich and poor is enormous and the wealth is concentrated on the hands of a very small percentage.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 23:35:00 +0000

at this point who cares about the documentary? the film is not as important as to the changes that this woman brougt to the lives of these children.
Relating to the passport procedure, the meaning of her complaints was to underline the problem of bureaucracy.
There might be better documentaries out there, but so far I have never seen the documentarists radically change the bad situation in which people were. Two souls were saved because of her and the film.

By: John Marus

John Marus — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 05:07:00 +0000

PS: believing in fairy tales ain’t going to help sister – “he’s” shown his ability to help the suffering over and over and over. There can’t be what doesn’t exist – your god.

By: John Marus

John Marus — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 05:05:00 +0000

oh ya, and let’s start using some of those crafty biblical punishments for these horrible men who cheat and generally treat their women like dirt. Any county with human rights violation against women, especially the sandy countries, should have sanctions implemented by the rest of the world.

By: John Marus

John Marus — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 05:01:00 +0000

The stem of the problem is over population. And of course, the general lack of respect for women in these cultures. Feeding the world should never be the goal; maintaining a balance between population and resources of the planet is the goal – and in this case, reducing our population. It’s only sad because they are kids, what’s really sad is the billion people without a full tummy tonight. Let’s start with taxing religion and handing out free condoms with every food shipment.

By: Leslie El Salvador

Leslie El Salvador — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 04:36:00 +0000

No matter what their family is in those kids deserve a clean home and education. So sad that there is potential but no resources.

By: Abhishek Gautam

Abhishek Gautam — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 04:09:00 +0000

Zana, and everybody who believes to change the world and thinking, please keep this faith up , thank you for such beautiful video especially last 3 sections when kids got life and a way to grow up and escape from that hell
i am glad it was not just documentary of showcasing the life and standard , but its beyond of that, you made the Life of those kids, may God always bless you.
everybody please accept the truth and help , don’t treat them the way NUN/sister at school, teachers and people on streets, Rashion Card office etc
these areas must be legalized and facilities must be provided they are also part of society though can be a diseases but , if they are disease we need to provide medicine.
we all remember ..culture, society, status values….but don’t forget Humanity!! and rights of living!

By: Abhishek Gautam

Abhishek Gautam — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 02:40:00 +0000

i am shocked to see the -ve reaction from people.
the documentary shown one reality of a society which also live in the same nation ,biggest red light area , but because of sick mentality not much effort has been done to improve there health, kids educations and support.
somebody said, why do these woman come in this field of prostitution, nobody would love to move in such hell, 90% of the woman were forcefully brought to this field, and “sailing of woman”, and when some woman has entered in this field , don’t have any other place to go.
some like its shown in video that kids from prostitutes have to become prostitute , who accept them in social life, and where will they go?
government must take steps to improve there life standard especially kids from them must be given facility for schooling , so that atleast there kids must not have to be prostitute in future because of circumstances
one must understand this life there is hell, and hate to them is just an act of evil, because its all because of people from so called “social”
Thankyou for making such video, exposing a hidden life and reality behind the word ” prostitute”
cos , they also have life, kids, and so called family, but just one more untouchable …

By: HAzel

HAzel — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:02:48 +0000

I think this filmmaker is ridiculous. She makes the film entirely about herself and her feelings. Yes, she interviews the children, but obviously leaves some opinions out. Why is it that we have to focus on her feelings and her “challenges” through the film. Example: She is trying to get the young boy a passport and all we see is her complaining about how difficult it is for her to obtain the paperwork and such. This is not what one wants to watch in a film about the children. I would have rather heard the boy’s side of the story.

More interviews with more of the children and more ‘fly-on-the-wall” observation scenes would have improved this film. Nowhere in the film did I want to hear any blabber from Zara Auntie other than explaining the accomplishments of the children. The scenes in which she is teaching the kids about the cameras is good enough information on her intentions and “struggle” this type of documentary calls for.

Overall it sends a great message to help those in need, but it definitely lacks the backbone of the real story.