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Bawandar/Sandstorm

Jagmohan Mundhra, USA/India.

125 mins.

Starring: Nandita Das, Raghuvir Yadav, Deepti Naval

A rural low-caste woman, working for Rajasthan government's woman's development program called "Saathin", is gang-raped by upper-caste men in her village when she speaks up against the prevalent custom of child marriages. Instead of hanging her head in shame, as she was expected to do, she decides to knock the doors of justice. Her real rape begins when she is made to run from pillar to post in a judicial system corrupted by sexism, chauvinism, feudalism and political opportunism.

Caught in the middle of a storm created by the international media, she is made a pawn in the political chess game between the ruling party's Central government and the opposition party's State government, as she is put on a pedestal by one party, and thrown stones at, by the other.

Against all odds, she maintains her dignity and courage as a woman and from a rape victim becomes a rape activist. It is a shocking true story, set amidst the picturesque sand dunes of colorful contemporary Rajasthan.

Friday November 8th, . 6p.m.
www.bawandar.com

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