Week7 blog1

Born in Brothels is an India American documentary about Sonagachi’s prostitute in Calcutta’s red light district in 2004. As the documentary photographer, Briski went to Calcutta to take pictures of prostitutes. In Calcutta, she made friends with her children, and willing to teach children to take pictures (Z Briski 2004). Children get cameras and they can learn photography that involves their lives. The photos described the life of the red light area. And most of them comes from the eyes of the neglected children, the great wish to live a normal life. Some scenes such as the study of some children in boarding schools were also shown.

Turnbull explained the relationship between agency and the camera (Turnbull 2014). The camera has the special effect to show the real and broad view of the society. The scenes of children in the documentary showed the serious condition of children in the red light district. The children wish to be cared by the people around them, and they wish to go to school. However, the improvished condition forced children to give up their school study. Born in Brothels has won a series of honors, including the 2004 Oscar documentary award.

Reference

Z Briski, 2004. Born into brothels: Photographs by the children of Calcutta[M]. Umbrage Editions .

Turnbull, 2014. Charismatic agency’ and the power of seduction. Media & Education Magazine.

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