SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies)

SCREENING: Goddesses

Leena Manimekalai is an independent Filmmaker and Poet. Her works include three published poetry anthologies in Tamil and ten films in genres, documentary, fiction and experimental poem films. She had EU Fellowship on Media and Conflict Resolution (2005), Commonwealth Fellowship on Women in Film (2008) and a film fellowship with PSBT on Tamil Women Poetry - Sangam through Contemporary ages. Leena has garnered significant prizes for her poetry in Tamil as well including the Iyal Poetry Award in 2008 and Sirpi Award for Literary Contribution.  In addition she has been recognized for her work as a filmmaker with participation, mentions and best film awards in many international and national film festivals with her early documentaries dealing with Dalit and Gender issues, Student Politics, Art Therapy, Politics of Water and Globalization.Her recent award winning film Sengadal the Dead sea on the Tamil Fishermen and Refugees at the Indo Srilankan border- shores is on the buzz at the International Film Circuits for its worst censorship struggles with the Indian Authorities and its compelling content. Leena is currently a Charles Wallace Visiting Scholar with Anthropology and Center for Film and Media Studies, SOAS.

Synopsis for Goddesses

A documentary by Leena Manimekalai

Notes from the lives of three extra ordinary women – a funeral singer; a fisherwoman; a graveyard worker.

Here is the story of three ordinary women who live extra ordinary lives surviving darkest of times and gone against society's norms to live and work according to the rules they have set for themselves.

Lakshmi, a professional 'funeral singer': She visits death houses with a troop of drummers and for a measly pay, she wails and laments and shares the grief of the other mourners. The throb of the drums and her ankle bells resonate in the house long after she has left.

Krishnaveni, the ‘grave-digger’: Dead unknown earn her the daily meal.Veni accepts unclaimed bodies from the local Police and gives them a decent burial or cremation, digging and maintaining the graves herself.

Sethuraku, the ‘fisherwoman’: What is normally considered as taboo for women? is confidently done by this lady. She goes out to sea, every morning with a few fellow fisherwomen to collect fish and prawns, singing to welcome the day.

Written and Directed by Leena Manimekalai

Running Time: 42mins.

Goddesses has bagged the Golden Conch at the International Mumbai Film Festival (2008), John Abraham National Award for Best Film of Resistance(2008), and been nominated for Prestigious Screen Awards at APSA Brisbane and Horizon Award at Munich International Film Festivals (2008)