Asha Singh, Jyoti’s mother
WorldView-supported India’s Daughter had its UK broadcast premiere on BBC4 in the run up to International Women’s Day, with further broadcasts planned in Canada, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Switzerland.
India’s Daughter, directed by Leslee Udwin, tells the story of the brutal gang rape and murder of 23-year-old medical student Jyoti Singh on a moving bus in Delhi, and the protests and riots which this event ignited throughout India, demanding changes in attitudes towards women. The documentary includes an exclusive in-depth interview with one of the men convicted of the Delhi gang rape, a crime that sent shockwaves around the world in December 2012 and sparked international outrage and demand for justice.
Since its BBC broadcast, the film has attracted global media attention, with Indian authorities issuing a ban on the film within the country and looking into halting its transmission in other countries.
Leslee Udwin said she was spurred on to make the hard-hitting film by “the optimism occasioned by the reports that followed the rape. Courageous and impassioned ordinary men and women of India braved the December freeze to protest in unprecedented numbers, withstanding an onslaught of teargas shells, baton charges and water cannons, to make their cry of ‘enough is enough’ heard. In this regard, India led the world by example.”
Protests in Delhi against existing rape laws. Image: Getty
Marion Simpson, Content Manager of WorldView, said that Udwin’s film is an intense exploration into the events in Delhi and is a must-watch: “Her film takes you to the heart of darkness and offers a hard look into the rape culture in India. If Jyoti’s shocking death is not to be in vain then this film must reach the far corners of India and the wider world. As one of the first funders on board, WorldView is immensely proud to have supported a film of such record , and one that should spark hope and change for women across the globe”.
WorldView funded the development of the film in early 2014. Read more about the documentary on the Public Media Alliance and BBC websites.
Image on home page: Getty