Women In White
Dir: Gry Winther
2009, 52 min. / Cuba, United States, Spain / Spanish, English / English Subtitles


From the moment he came to power in 1959, Fidel Castro led Cuba with an iron fist. A system of informants and secret police ensured that dissidents were given no chance to voice their views. When, in March 2003, all eyes were directed at the invasion of Iraq, seventy-five journalists, writers and human rights activists were arrested. They received prison sentences of 20 to 30 years. Two weeks later, the wives, sisters and daughters of the prisoners decided to come together to pray for their loved ones. Since then, Las Damas de Blanco, or the women in white, walk silently through the streets of Havana. Their actions are not without success: twenty men have been released since they began. In 2005, the European Parliament awarded the women a freedom of speech award. Although the regime keeps a close eye on the women, they continue on with their silent protest. Now only 12 are left in prison. The women's fight led to the release of the others, but the ones released were forced to live in exile. The 12 refused to leave Cuba and therefore are still in prison. The women therefore still march through the streets of Havana.


For the first time, these women share their stories with the world in the documentary 'Women in White'.


Awards: Norwegian Award for Cinematography 2009


Official website: http://www.nordicworld.tv/catalogue/1191/program/program/null

Screening at FLASHPOIHT Human Rights Film Festival:

Alliance Francaise, Mumbai:
Wednesday, Dec 8, 2010 5.00 pm
Thursday, Dec 9, 2010 10.00 am

Alliance Francaise, New Delhi:
Thursday, Jan 20, 2011 5.00 pm
Friday, Jan 21, 2011 10.00 am

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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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