Good advocacy

Our circus rescue film (see yesterday's post) was shown to a full house in a 700 seat auditorium yesterday, this being the final day of the Kathmandu International Film Festival. I was intrigued to see the response of the audience which seemed to consist of mainly young Nepali men. Our film was second on the bill, the first being "Miss Tibet". This rather quirky movie (in fact it was rubbish) featured a candidate for the title who at times was shown in scant clothing. This attracted lecherous cheers and whistles. Our film opened and the first shots showed an equally scantily clad circus girl on the high wire (a state of relative undress being one of the "attractions" of the Indian circus) and this also drew a similar outburst from a large number in the audience. But as the truth behind the circus emerged - the poverty that fuelled the girls' being trafficked, the alcohol abuse of their parents, the violence against the girls and their deep unhappiness - the auditorium became silent. We hope the film will now soon run on Nepal TV and have a similar impact on a much wider audience.