By Paromita Vohra
My dear white feminist sisters.
What is the reason you are still making such primitive ‘documentaries‘? Is your patriarchal society, with its belief in objectivity and poor re-enactments, as also editing out leading questions, stifling your expression?
Are you being forced by the backward thinking men in your families and society into making essentialist explanations about other societies to undermine feminist solidarity and political engagement? Are you being treated as cheap labour to make voyeurism that reaffirms the poor mindset of your society?
Tell me what I can do?I am filmmaker, a woman, and a feminist. So that means I mean all the simplistic things I’ve said about you in a very noble way. I feel really bad about this situation. I disagree with the ban on your film in India. I want to do something to help you make good, liberated films. Send me a sign. Or should I send you a Punjammy, “the loungewear trousers made with hope by women in India who have escaped human trafficking”, instead?
In solidarity,
Paromita
Paromita Vohra is a documentary filmmaker and writer whose work focuses on gender, desire, urban life and popular culture. She is currently working on a non-fiction book about love in contemporary India. More at www.parodevi.com and less @parodevi.