DVD/VIDEO - ART HOUSE: Born Into Brothels
BORN INTO BROTHELS (2004)
My Rating: **** ½ (out of *****)
Starring: Shanti Das, Avijit, Suchitra, Manik, Gour, Puja Mukerjee, Tapasi, Mamuni, Kochi, Zana Briski, Sunil Halder, Geeta Masi
Directors: Zana Briski, Ross Kauffman
Editors: Nancy Baker, Ross Kauffman
My Review:
Movies have the ability to impact us in ways that no other artistic medium can. Truly great films go beyond political agendas, motives for profit, attempts to wow with flashy effects, and efforts to manipulate emotion with carefully crafted dialogue and perfectly timed music. They allow us to make our own judgments about what the events unfolding on screen actually mean, challenge us with opportunities to grow and learn, and impart such valuable gifts as encouragement, inspiration, and hope. Good documentaries do all of this and more, offering the unique blessing of taking viewers into the worlds they depict as those worlds actually exist.
Born Into Brothels is an exceptional example of this type of documentary filmmaking. Winning the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature of 2004, this 83-minute masterpiece – destined to become a classic of the genre – follows New York photojournalist Zana Briski as she makes her home in the brothels of one of Calcutta’s red light districts. In becoming familiar with the prostitutes of this destitute and oppressive region, Ms. Briski comes to know the children of these women – children born into poverty, sometimes abuse, often a destiny of becoming prostitutes themselves, and usually bleak futures as “outcasts” of their society. Ms. Briski’s connection with and advocacy on behalf of these children comprises the bulk of the film.
Born Into Brothels could have settled for being a completely devastating look at social bondage and hopelessness among the marginalized poor. As such, it would certainly have been impacting, if rather pointless and frustrating. Most thankfully, directors Briski and Kauffman choose to give us more. We certainly feel the darkness and pain in the lives of these impoverished and afflicted families, especially of the children. In the film, however, Ms. Briski not only gives the gift of her presence to these children (a monumental thing for any human being to offer another), but also encourages, develops, and inspires them by sharing her trade and passion: photography.
By developing the eye of a photographer in these young people, Briski not only opens doors of creativity and artistic freedom for them, but also – and more importantly – helps to provide a sense possibility and hope for a brighter future. In fact, the children end up having some of their work auctioned at Sotheby’s, and Briski’s non-profit organization Kids With Cameras (http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/) plans to open schools for marginalized children (such as those depicted in the movie) who would otherwise have little opportunity for education and advancement. Of course, we are vicariously filled with a deep and profound joy as the children discover dreams they didn’t even know existed becoming tangible realities.
Briski and Kauffman rightfully keep the children and their artwork front and center throughout the film. Each one of the selected children is given a segment consisting of interviews and examples of their work, and each one is a treasure – unique, feisty, beautiful, funny, candid, heartbreaking, and best of all, real. Likewise, the children’s pictures are extensions of their marvelously individual personalities, capturing their world – ugly, brutal, and cheerless to some – in ways that only they can. The resulting images are poignant in their simplicity, harrowing in their honesty, and absolutely gorgeous in their respect for life in all its myriad forms.
Putting it simply, Born Into Brothels is a cool, replenishing oasis in a Sahara of cinematic dreck. It is a must for documentary aficionados, and will enrich all others who risk its sometimes disquieting but ultimately uplifting portrait of love – in the form of time, resources, advocacy, and talents shared – bringing life to dead places.
My Rating: **** ½ (out of *****)
Starring: Shanti Das, Avijit, Suchitra, Manik, Gour, Puja Mukerjee, Tapasi, Mamuni, Kochi, Zana Briski, Sunil Halder, Geeta Masi
Directors: Zana Briski, Ross Kauffman
Editors: Nancy Baker, Ross Kauffman
My Review:
Movies have the ability to impact us in ways that no other artistic medium can. Truly great films go beyond political agendas, motives for profit, attempts to wow with flashy effects, and efforts to manipulate emotion with carefully crafted dialogue and perfectly timed music. They allow us to make our own judgments about what the events unfolding on screen actually mean, challenge us with opportunities to grow and learn, and impart such valuable gifts as encouragement, inspiration, and hope. Good documentaries do all of this and more, offering the unique blessing of taking viewers into the worlds they depict as those worlds actually exist.
Born Into Brothels is an exceptional example of this type of documentary filmmaking. Winning the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature of 2004, this 83-minute masterpiece – destined to become a classic of the genre – follows New York photojournalist Zana Briski as she makes her home in the brothels of one of Calcutta’s red light districts. In becoming familiar with the prostitutes of this destitute and oppressive region, Ms. Briski comes to know the children of these women – children born into poverty, sometimes abuse, often a destiny of becoming prostitutes themselves, and usually bleak futures as “outcasts” of their society. Ms. Briski’s connection with and advocacy on behalf of these children comprises the bulk of the film.
Born Into Brothels could have settled for being a completely devastating look at social bondage and hopelessness among the marginalized poor. As such, it would certainly have been impacting, if rather pointless and frustrating. Most thankfully, directors Briski and Kauffman choose to give us more. We certainly feel the darkness and pain in the lives of these impoverished and afflicted families, especially of the children. In the film, however, Ms. Briski not only gives the gift of her presence to these children (a monumental thing for any human being to offer another), but also encourages, develops, and inspires them by sharing her trade and passion: photography.
By developing the eye of a photographer in these young people, Briski not only opens doors of creativity and artistic freedom for them, but also – and more importantly – helps to provide a sense possibility and hope for a brighter future. In fact, the children end up having some of their work auctioned at Sotheby’s, and Briski’s non-profit organization Kids With Cameras (http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/) plans to open schools for marginalized children (such as those depicted in the movie) who would otherwise have little opportunity for education and advancement. Of course, we are vicariously filled with a deep and profound joy as the children discover dreams they didn’t even know existed becoming tangible realities.
Briski and Kauffman rightfully keep the children and their artwork front and center throughout the film. Each one of the selected children is given a segment consisting of interviews and examples of their work, and each one is a treasure – unique, feisty, beautiful, funny, candid, heartbreaking, and best of all, real. Likewise, the children’s pictures are extensions of their marvelously individual personalities, capturing their world – ugly, brutal, and cheerless to some – in ways that only they can. The resulting images are poignant in their simplicity, harrowing in their honesty, and absolutely gorgeous in their respect for life in all its myriad forms.
Putting it simply, Born Into Brothels is a cool, replenishing oasis in a Sahara of cinematic dreck. It is a must for documentary aficionados, and will enrich all others who risk its sometimes disquieting but ultimately uplifting portrait of love – in the form of time, resources, advocacy, and talents shared – bringing life to dead places.
R, for brief moments of strong, abusive, and sexually graphic language, as well as mature thematic material relating to prostitution, poverty, and drug use
posted by Drew Miller at
7:24 AM
2 Comments:
This film is just beautiful... very moving and challenging for us. Wish more people could see it. It really deserved the Oscar. Two nights ago, we saw "Boys of Baraka", a documentary about inner city jr. high boys in Baltimore who get accepted to a year at a school in Africa and it really affects them. I wanted to see it at the theater but waited until it came out on DVD just this week and it is really moving and challenging. Not as artful as "Brothels" but very important and crucial to face regarding American cities and African American youth.
12:53 PM
More film updates: "Cache" comes out on 6/27 and we plan to rent it though in reading about it, it sounds EXACTLY your "cup of tea". It was on some Top 10 lists, including # 1 for the year with "Paste" - sounds like a shocking, intriguing thriller.
Also, we recently saw "The New World", which I really had no interest in but Dan loves Terence Malick so I watched it with him and it was surprisingly poetic & unique. We had to use subtitles because they almost whispered or mumbled random thoughts throughout the film. Off-putting initially, but once we got used to it and turned on the sub-titles, it was part of the magic spell it weaved making it more like poetry or a diary meandering through feelings, emotions and thoughts. Not surprising was a small but moving part by Christian Bale - a nice change from dour, mopey Colin Farrell (one of Dan's least favorites). Not perfect or always engaging but it really creates a mood in a unique way and for that it's worth seeing.
1:15 PM
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