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The Power of Film

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The Power of Film
The Power of Film Living in a society where media permeates every realm of our lives, one can see the importance of film in the modern world. Often times, we only see films as source of entertainment, or an escape from reality. But sometimes, films can tell a story of reality in a way that makes you open your eyes to a world unbeknownst to you prior watching the film. A film can disseminate information faster and broader, thus, a wider audience is able to be educated about certain issues and events through film. Looking at three films, Born into Brothels (2004), Hotel Rwanda, and Gandhi, people are able to reflect upon the theme of human rights and human dignity in a different way. All three films are true in a sense because they are retelling a story that once happened. Through these films, one can see why FilmAid chooses to work in this media to help thousands in third-world countries where it seems a bit implausible to reach people through film. However, seeing the FilmAid PVP short films, The Choice, Growing Health…Growing Up!, and Past Midnight, one can see how the power of film and story telling helps educate them about their own problems they are facing and a way to express their creativity. By comparing the films and the PVP films, the themes coincide. Born into Brothels is a documentary by Ross Kauffman and Zana Briski following the journey of Zana Briski, a photojournalist, and Avijit, Gour, Kochi, Puja, Shanti, Suchitra, and Tapasi, a group of children from Calcutta’s red-light district. Briski had no intentions of teaching when she went to live among the prostitutes to document the women’s lives, but the children’s intrigue of the camera led her to set up a photography workshop for the group of children that society refuses to acknowledge and be associated with because of where they come from. Through the camera lens, the children study their world and discover their own voice, capturing glimpses of a crowded, colorful world that


Cited: Michel, Frann. ""Born into Brothels" Controversy." Solidarity. July-Aug. 2005. Web. 21 Feb. 2012. . Scott, A.O. "Nurturing the Talents of Children in Calcutta." The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 8 Dec. 2004. Web. 20 Feb. 2012. . Sirohi, Seema. "Zana 's Shutters." Outlookindia.com. 14 Mar. 2005. Web. 22 Feb. 2012. . http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/the-true-story-behind-hotel-rwanda-99971.html http://jaiarjun.blogspot.com/2005/06/hotel-rwanda-review.html
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