FLASHPOINT Human Rights Film Festival

The Sari Soldiers

Dir: Julie Bridgham

2008, 92 min / Nepal, United States / English, Nepali / English Subtitles

When Devi, mother of a fifteen-year-old daughter, witnesses her niece being killed by the Royal Army of Nepal, she decides to speak out in public on this crime. In retaliation for her open-heartedness the army kidnaps her daughter. 'The Sari Soldiers' follows Devi on her quest to find her daughter and in her struggle for justice. Apart from Devi, five other brave women are portrayed who, based on different convictions, try to shape Nepal’s future. They do this against the background of an intensifying civil war between the armed forces and the Maoist insurgents. The rebels have stepped up against king Gyanendra who is in power since his brother killed their father in 2001. The new king does not have much consideration for democracy and seeks to curtail civil liberties in Nepal. Although the women have different points of view regarding the conflict, director Julie Bridgham has succeeded admirably in getting their stories across. The documentary has received several prizes, including the Nestor Almendros Prize from the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival.

Awards: Nestor Almendros Prize - Human Rights Watch Film Festival 2009; Grand Jury Prize - Tri-Continental Film Festival 2009; Best of Festival Prize - Watch Docs 2009; Special Jury Award - One World Human Rights Documentary Festival 2008

Official website: http://www.sarisoldiers.com, www.butterlampfilms.com

Screening at FLASHPOIHT Human Rights Film Festival:

Alliance Francaise, Mumbai:
Wednesday, Dec 8, 2010 10.00 am
Thursday, Dec 9, 2010 6.30 pm

Alliance Francaise, New Delhi:
Thursday, Jan 20, 2011 10.00 am
Friday, Jan 21, 2011 6.30 pm

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