The caste system is prohibited by Indian law, yet it is still strictly observed in many parts of India. At the lowest level of this system are the Dalits, so despised as to be defined as “outcast”, and for this reason continually subjected to oppression and violence. Being a Dalit woman means being literally at the base of the social pyramid of India, deprived of any rights, absolutely invisible, explain Sushmit Ghosh and Rintu Thomas, directors of Writing with fire.
“This is why we were interested in the work of Meera, the editor-in-chief of the Khabar Lahariya newspaper, especially as she managed the transition of her newspaper from print to digital. We wanted to understand how she and her reporters would use technology and the internet to amplify their voices. With their work they have begun to redefine the way Dalit women are perceived in society, in an India that was moving from a secular democracy to a right-wing nationalism, led by a Hindu majority party that seeks to impose the system of castes in every aspect of life. In this context their work appears even more exceptional, almost a re-edition of the story of David against Goliath, in which the pen, or in this case the telephone, becomes more powerful than the sword ”.
Info The Mondovisioni review is curated by CineAenzia. The documentaries will be screened at the Ex Refettorio. The exhibition is subject to a fee (4.5 euros). Tickets can be purchased online or at the Ex Refettorio cash desk. To bring Mondovisioni to your city, write to [email protected]
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