Wednesday, April 27, 2005

BORN INTO BROTHELS:
CALCUTTA’S RED LIGHT KIDS




Documentary

BACKGROUND
After earning a master's degree at the University of Cambridge, Zana Briski studied at the International Center of Photography in New York. In 1995 she made her first trip to India, producing a story on female infanticide. In 1997 she returned to India and began her project on the prostitutes of Calcutta's red light district, which led to her work with their.
Zana has won numerous awards including first prize at the World Press Photo Foundation Competition. She is the founder of Kids with Cameras, a non-profit organization that teaches photography to marginalized children in communities around the world. The group uses photography to capture the imaginations of children, to empower them, building their confidence, self-esteem and hope.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
12-year-old Avijit, considered the most talented but perhaps the least motivated of the gang
Suchitra, who has a million-dollar smile
Kochi, a shy girl of 10, trapped into following the family line of prostitution
11-year-old Puja, the most daring, who becomes the best street photographer because of her persistence

REVIEW
The movie is about the efforts of one woman trying to improve the lives of seven children (four girls and three boys aged 10 through 14) living in Calcutta's red-light district. Being a professional photographer herself, the one thing she can teach them is how to take photographs. This she does by providing each with a point-and-shoot camera. Some of the photos are good enough to be entered in an international competition.

CLASSIFICATION
for strong sexual profanity and sexual slang terms, some drug content.

P.S.
The film won an Oscar at the 77th Academy Awards for Best documentary feature

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