1. The Price of Freedom
In 1994 a young poet from rural Bangladesh, Taslima Nasrin, plunged the country into a wave of general strikes and mass protest. Her crime: to write her thoughts about how religious fundamentalism has consigned women to a secondary role in modern society. For her outspokenness, the nation's religious leaders issued a fatwa against her, literally putting a price on her head. She now lives in exile in Sweden, and continues to rail against the forces of oppression despite attempts to silence her."Highly Recommended. It reveals the strength of Taslima's character, her sacrifice, Her pain of separation from her family, and the great determination and courage with which she presses forward with her belief that she coud make a difference in this world through her writing." Triveni Kuch, Rutgers University Libraries for Educational Media Reviews Online
2. Breaking the Caste
Fathima Burnad is fighting to change a social structure that has existed for 3,000 years. The caste system in India has created apartheid-like discrimination. Although child labor is common and women have few rights, worst off are the 160 million people in the landless, lowest caste -- the Dalits or "untouchables. They live without access to basic necessities and are often targets of violence. Fathima's aim is to empower these people -- her people -- by encouraging them to take action through grass-roots organizations and rallying the support of international communities behind her cause."The film illustrates the core issues of caste and gender discrimination and the significance and desperate need for grassroots type social work against deep-rooted social problems. Recommended." Triveni Kuch, Rutgers University Libraries for Educational Media Reviews Online
3. Heart on the Sleeve
Although Australia has a first-world economy, hidden within it a third-world industry thrives. Pieceworkers sewing at home are paid per item by clothing companies. They work with punishing deadlines, often seven days a week, for a pitiful few dollars per hour. Hundreds of thousands of workers from non-English speaking backgrounds suffer in these archaic conditions. They have no sick pay, retirement plan or insurance. Now, Hien Tran, former Vietnamese refugee turned union representative, is speaking up for her fellow workers, trapped by their circumstances and financial need."The film does an excellent job in portraying the larger issue of exploitation of labor through Hien, the fealess Vietnamese immigrant woman outworker, who courageously raises her voice against the lack of fair pay and outworker rights ...Recommended." Triveni Kuchi, Rutgers University Libraries for Educational Media Review Online
Study guide available
Each video: 26 min. Video or DVD. Sale $295. Video rental $55. Series price $795.
National Women's Studies Association, 2004
Hollywood Film Festival, 2003
Global Visions Film Festival, 2003
