Journeys to democracy

Hello all, check out the work we’re doing at Sapan News, providing behind-the-headlines information with context and nuance, and syndicating pieces out to a growing media network.

The latest Sapan News features include this explainer about the implications of the state crackdown on the violent protests following Imran Khan’s arrest in Pakistan – by Abdullah Zahid in Karachi, published in The South Asia Times (image from their New York edition here) among others. Read it online here.

Plus:

• Melting glaciers, garbage crisis mire Mount Everest’s 70th summit anniversary – by Saman Shafiq
• “Congratulations! It’s a girl!” – How one Sarpanch helped change discriminatory attitudes towards daughters in Haryana – by Sunil Jaglan
• Local bodies, national politics: Was Congress victory in Shimla elections a forerunner for its Karnataka win? – by Devender Sharma in Himachal Pradesh
• ‘It was a daunting task bringing three faith traditions together’ – writer-director of unusual play on Mother Mary, in an interview by Urmi Chanda in Mumbai. Incidentally, she is behind In Sync, India’s first interfaith art and dialogue forum being held in Mumbai, 2-4 June.

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Happening this Sunday in the Boston area, the second Kabir Festival, in Waltham, 4-7 pm – an event co-sponsored by Sapan, the Southasia Peace Coalition. For details see the Southasia Peace website.

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On another note, I saw the banned-unbanned-censored (still banned in Punjab?) Joyland in Karachi a few weeks ago, and it haunted me – and my cousins who I saw it with – for days. This is the first feature film from Pakistan to screen at Cannes where it won two awards.

“What began as a small independent production among friends at Columbia University’s graduate film program became one of the year’s biggest success stories in world cinema — and a ground-breaking film about queer desire in a traditional Muslim society” reports NPR.

The film is showing at Coolidge Corner Theatre in the Boston area this week– writer-director Saim Sadiq has said the cuts made for the film’s showing in Pakistan were insignificant but I am curious to see the uncensored version.

A film I saw recently and enjoyed was Nandita Das’ Zwigato, that she showed in person at various cities in the US.

Even on the small screen I found it thought-provoking and beautifully done, with many layers, a great commentary on the changing society, its challenges and opportunities. Sensitively depicted relationships, humanity, and aspirations. Great poetry and soundtrack, with many nuggets and vignettes sprinkled throughout. The end credits with animations are particularly creative and a story in themselves.

This is the third feature film by Nandita Das that I’ve seen, after Firaaq and Manto. Each of them a labour of love, executed with courage and clarity.

Interesting that the posters for both films feature two-wheelers…

Ending on a sad note – the triple train crash in India that has claimed nearly 300 lives. As expected, authorities are trying to pass it off as ‘human error’ rather than admit to the systematic problems with the railways or the government’s financial choices.

(ends)

Filed under: Art and activism, censorship, Culture, journalism, Southasia | Tagged: film banned, gender discrimination, haryana girls, himachal pradesh, imran khan, interfaith art and dialogue, joyland, Karnataka, local body elections, Mother Mary play, mt everest anniversary, nandita das, odisha, Pakistan, sapan news, Shimla, train crash, triple train crash, zwigato |