In India, more than 75% sex workers are victims of sex trafficking. ‘Notes to My Father’, an 11 minute long VR documentary gives viewers a closer look at this ugly world, by narrating the true story of Ramadevi, a survivor.
Directed by Mumbai-based filmmaker Jayisha Patel, ‘Notes to My Father’ has been screened at the prestigious SXSW Festival in March in Austin, Texas, and will come to India in May.
What is the movie about?
The film traverses the journey of Ramadevi, a young girl from a remote region in India, whose father gives her away in marriage to give her a better life but unintentionally plays a role in her trafficking. Ramadevi’s husband is abusive and is befriended by traffickers who then drug her and abduct her, ultimately selling her to a brothel.
My Choices Foundation, a Hyderabad based non-profit foundation partnered with Oculus, the charitable arm of a U.S. virtual reality tech firm, to make this film. The documentary is a part a larger campaign called ‘The Good Father’ to educate people about sex trafficking, particularly fathers due to a study by My Choices Foundation which found that 90% of trafficked girls were from underprivileged communities in which fathers are largely responsible for the fate of their daughters.
Why VR?
“Through ‘Notes to My Father’ we wanted to educate India, and the world at large on the issue of sex-trafficking and believed that using the immersive medium of VR was one of the most powerful ways to help people feel deeply connected to the cause,” says Hannah Norling of My Choices Foundation in an interview with Indian Television. “By telling the story of a survivor through the connection with her father, we aim to highlight the very real hope that trafficking can be prevented if only families in at risk areas are aware.”
Indeed, the poignant story narrated via VR hits you harder than any news report ever could, and is an incredibly emotional experience, helping to further raise awareness and action, built on understanding and empathy.
Click here for more information on the film and you can also follow their Facebook page for updates.
Written by Anisha Kashwani
Featured image source: Notes To My Father
I don’t know who you wrote this for but you helped a brother out.
We’re glad we did. Peace.