Project of the Day: ‘Bulbul: Song of the Nightingale’
IndieWire Staff
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Bulbul: Song of the Nightingale
Tweetable Logline: How would you survive being born into a caste which exists at the very bottom of Indian society?
Elevator Pitch: “Bulbul: Song of the Nightingale” documents the life of a 12 year-old Banchara girl in Madhya Pradesh, India. Bulbul’s tribe, the Banchara, has existed at the bottom of Indian society for centuries, relying on prostitution as their economic lifeblood. Generation upon generation, the tribe has experienced social, political and economic exclusion from Indian society. The documentary explores caste and untouchability through the life experience of Bulbul. This film aims to raise global awareness of the struggles of the Banchara tribe, thereby encouraging dialogue and engagement of human and financial capital toward an alternative means of economic livelihood for this community.
Production Team:
Atin Mehra – Director / Producer/Writer
Candi Guterres – Exec. Producer / Producer
Huriyyah Mohammed – Producer
Mae Thornton Mehra – Producer
Suzanne Mejean – Editor
About the film: I was born and raised in Varanasi, India. During my life I watched my mother struggle constantly in our family and in the broader society because she is a woman. Life for any women in India is not easy. Men are free to do what they want. Women are often prisoners even in their own homes. From the moment I met the young girls along the highway in Madhya Pradesh, I have felt compelled to turn the lens on them that their story might come to light.
Current Status: We’re in currently post-production of the film and have launched a crowd-funding campaign through Indiegogo.
For more information and to support this project: Indiegogo Page
