4th December 2020
Online Event
A masterclass ‘Gender Sensitivity in Film Making’ by Anjum Rajabali, Head of the Department, Screenwriting was held online on 4th December, in collaboration with UNFPA and the Whistling Woods International School of filmmaking (WWI). Mr Rajabali said that all of us had internalised the dominance of men over women for thousands of years and we should begin by acknowledging that first. It has been an accepted reality, but we have to question it.
Thousands of years ago, the female was worshipped because she created life. Then during evolution, the equation changed. Women have also internalised patriarchy; they believe that is how they show their love for the male members of the family. He rued the fact that sexual harassment was rampant in the film industry and among the various organisations, hardly any had formed committees to look into these complaints. He gave examples of songs that he had loved as a youngster but now found that they were songs of a stalker! He mentioned the Bechtel Test to test how women are characterised in the films/shows that the participants were writing. Performing arts should not follow the trend but lead the change, he pointed out. The event was live streamed on the Facebook pages of WWI, Population First, and UNFPA..
Click here to watch the session: https://www.facebook.com/LaadliPF/videos/854424705314697