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September 16, 2007
Born Into Brothels
Really, I meant to get out tonight, but I got tired and couldn't get in touch with anyone, so I ended up with Netflix. I figured I'd watch 24 Hour Party People, since it was the more light-hearted offering. Alas, the disc was cracked, so I couldn't see it. Instead, I watched the Oscar winning documentary, Born into Brothels.
As serious as I am, it takes me awhile to convince myself to watch Important Movies. I usually turn to the black box to escape from life, and reality doesn't seem like the greatest escape.
Nevertheless, it's extremely important to see this film. Like any good doc, it grabs you and immerses you completely in a world unlike your own. I've studied the sex industry from many different angles: the cold reality of the porn biz, world capital here in the Valley; union organizing by strippers; prostitutes demanding respect from feminists for choosing their profession; the use of rape as a weapon of war, etc. But I've never explored the reality of families living within an illegal business.
Somewhat ironically, one of the children, Avijit, was invited to Amsterdam for a week for a global children's photography class. As many US'ers know, prostitution is legal in Holland and the Amsterdam Red Light District is as much a gawking tourist destination as it is a place to pay for sex.
The chasm between Western, legal, regulated prostitution and Indian, illegal prostitution is profound. It was incredible that the children had any child tendencies left at all, given the reality they witness, hear, and live everyday. And the coda at the end of the film just broke my heart. (Thankfully, their current situations are more bright.)
I wonder how children who grow up in such an environment can have hope or dreams, without the help of incredible outsiders. This film reminds you that societal problems can be distilled into the lives of individuals: children deserve education, food, shelter, the opportunity to move beyond the livelihoods of their parents. How do we stop spending money on a pointless "war on terrorism" and start spending money where it can actually do good - on the humanitarian needs of the global village?
Kids with Cameras - the nonprofit that was created out of this doc
Hope House: currently fundraising to build a dorm school near the Red Light district for up to 150 kids from the brothels
Posted by cj at September 16, 2007 12:06 AM