1. The 2004 documentary Born Into Brothels follows documentarian Zana Briski's time spent among the prostitutes of Calcutta. She interviews these prostitutes, as well as their children, whom she teaches photography (and gives disposable cameras with which to take pictures). In this time, not only does she follow the trials and tribulations of prostitutes and women in Indian culture, but she also reveals new insights about the children of these prostitutes and how small their prospects for betterment are.2. I chose this documentary because I knew little about Indian culture, or how systemic the problem of prostitution was. I expected to experience abject poverty, and struggling women trying to better themselves. I had heard good things about it, and I am always interested in learning about other cultures, especially the issues that come with being in an undeveloped or impoverished country. 3. This documentary is a powerful, day-in-the-life snapshot of people whose prospects for life are actively hindered by their socioeconomic positions, and how their children are affected by these conditions that they simply cannot control. The central point of the film is that a) Calcutta has a systemic problem with prostitution and poverty, and b) art and education can be used to help provide these impoverished children with ways to improve their situation. 4. The filmmakers support the central point by interviewing both the prostitutes and their children alike, as well as extensively filming their daily interactions to show the emotional impact of their surroundings. 5. The film essentially matched my expectations; however, I did not expect the photography angle, nor the emphasis on the children. It really showed me just how desperate these children are to find something else to fill their lives with. The plight of these children, as well as their first taste of freedom in a developed country as they went on their art tour with their photography was very impactful; it was heartwarming and heartbreaking to see these children be exposed to a better life, only for some of them to also become prostitutes in the end. The film gave me a new perspective on undeveloped countries, and just how few opportunities many people have. 6. The use of still photography, provided by the children as a project, allowed for a unique way to display the plight of this Indian city's red light district that defied film conventions.
The text legends at the end of the film were a particularly sobering way to learn the fate of many of the children (esp. the ones who left their school and followed in their mothers' footsteps to become prostitutes).
During the huge fight halfway through the movie, in which many of the mothers are fighting and arguing with each other, cutaway shots of the depressed children listening to shrill shouting profoundly show just how damaging this environment is for them.
At several points, the camera pans over the decrepit homes of the red light district, with corrugated steel acting as roofs, children playing on those roofs. This really shows just how run-down the district is.
At the art show they attend, the fluorescent natural lighting of the gallery is a stark contrast with the natural lighting of the India we see for the rest of the movie, emphasizing just how alien the environment is to them.
Works Cited
Briski, Z., & Kauffman, R. Born into brothels. Documentary, 2004.
