Paula Kweskin, human rights attorney / filmmaker moderated and kicked off this discussion. Kweskin highlighted her film, Honor Diaries. The film brings attention to male-dominated cultures that place a woman's honor and worth on her body, treating her like property. These women are not allowed to decide when and who to marry and have children with, they must dress a certain way, and who she is associated with is decided by her family. If a woman does not follow the rules of her society, then she is subject to abuse by her family.
Honor Diaries grew increasingly popular through film festivals, but Kweskin hit a road-block when colleges tried to control the viewing of her film and refused to show it on campuses. She realized, "we're not there yet". Meaning, people are uncomfortable still tackling women's issues.
Kweskin used her platform as a filmmaker to amplify women's voices regarding issues of culture and abuse. She encouraged other filmmakers to do the same, many of whom risked their lives for freedom and change. These filmmakers recognize the power of film to push for social change.
After Kweskin's introduction, she went on to show us two of her videos - "Faith Keepers" and "Honor Diaries", and three mini films - "His Cucumber", "Screaming Silence", and "Butterflies".
The women featured in Honor Diaries shared their stories of honor violence and the actions they've since taken as activists to raise awareness and end this abuse.
One of the featured women explained that her parents had told her, "you either come home and marry who we say, otherwise from this point forward you are dead in our eyes". The only power women of these cultures have is the power to dishonor. Many women who choose to pursue work or education are threatened by waves of killings. In solidarity though, there is strength.
Honor Diaries addresses that the treatment of women worldwide is a huge concern, especially with islamic and muslim societies. The film tackles issues of female genital mutilation, forced marriage, and honor violence. The stories are about both pain and power. Through power, these women can fight against the censorship of films, as well as, the censorship of women's voices as a whole. Honor violence is still abuse and the fact that we are in the 21st century and it's still happening today is alarming.
No comments:
Post a Comment