Some religious scholars believe that the
Internet and movies are not safe for women, as they promote vulgarity or
sexuality and urge women to cross their limits on the name of fashion, class,
and freedom. However, we cannot neglect the fact that one of the most powerful
and best tools that activists and nonprofit organizations can use for shaping
the public opinion and galvanizing support for noble causes is the power of
movies. A significant number of films have been released with extra sensitive
issues, such as domestic abuse or violence against women. In the meantime,
there are various ways to use the Internet to create awareness among people
regarding the role and value of women in societies. In this paper, I will
discuss how movies had been used to make people understand that violence
against women is not only a serious social problem but also is prohibited in
all religions.
The power of films has been used in some ways
to work against the causes of domestic violence and to present possible
solutions to this serious social problem. Statistics show that hundreds to
thousands of women are killed by their fathers, brothers, husbands and other
male family members due to minor conflicts. Fortunately, some movies have
highlighted the issue of interestingly and engagingly. Desert Flower, The Stoning of Soraya M, The
Rape of Nanking, Sin by Silence, Tapestries of Hope, Recovering Irma, and Precious are its best examples.
Release in 2009;Desert Flower is a German biographical movie directed by Sherry
Hormann. The leading roles are played by Craig Parkinson, Sally Hawkins, and
Liya Kebede, and the story of this movie is based on the life of Somalia’s
model and FGM activist Waris Dirie. Her rise from ordinary life in Somalia to
the top of the modeling world has been shown in this movie.
At the age of 13, Waris Dirie escaped from
being sold and used into marriage for several camels and reached London to work
with an uncle. It is also believed that in her childhood, Waris Dirie was
beaten and given the tough times by her family members and that she did not
like the customs or traditions of her city.With time, Waris Dirie learned how
to read and write, and after spending over five years in London, she got her
first break as a model. A photographer spotted her at a fast food store, and
this is how the journey of Waris Dirie began as a supermodel.
From the example of this movie, it is evident
that the surroundings of a woman frequently urge her to step out of her house
and to begin a whole new life. We are sure that it was not easy for Waris Dirie
to say goodbye to her family and to look for a job in another city.When Waris
Dirie began working as a model, the job proved to be both a dream and a
nightmare. At the peak of her career, she spent several years in New York City,
where she said in an interview that her family members practiced female genital
mutilation for quite a long time and that Waris Dirie had to suffer a lot
because of it when she was five years old.
Female genital mutilation is the removal of
partial or entire external female genitalia with the help of a sharp knife. The
practice is found in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and groups of people in
which FGM is common. In Desert Flower,
Liya Kebede had played the role of Waris Dirie, and the world’s viewers
appreciated her performance.
The purpose of the filmmaker is to make
people understand a couple of things. First of all, events, festivals and
practices like female genital mutilation should come to an end, as they are
good for nothing and are only meant to harm human beings. Another important
message delivered through this movie is that girls should not be punished for
their mistakes. Also, they should be beaten or harmed, as they deserve as much
respect as is given to boys in society.
In conclusion, whether we use social media or
watch films, we deserve quality content. A film that does not contain a
learning lesson may never receive as much admiration as is given to movies who
convey particular emotions or messages through their stories and characters. Desert Flower makes us understand that
films are a powerful and excellent tool used by sensible and educated people to
shape societies and to eliminate negativity from them.
