As readers will know, last week I saw the film Water, and after watching the film I wanted to do a bit more research, find out about the film and other films by the same filmmaker etc.

A surprising article I found is this one, by an australian who worked on the first attempt to do the film. The film was considered so controversial crowds demonstrated against it, there was sabotage, arson etc. Quite incredible. This is a film that advocates something as fundamental as human rights, that makes a case against such obvious wrongs… That such a film would be generating so much protest, so much hatred is scary.

The crew had traveled from all corners of the globe — Hungary, Germany, Canada, England, France, South Africa, and Australia — with the simple aim of working on a film. Instead we were drawn into something that would question our rights of expression and freedom of speech through threats of violence, powered by not entirely related political motivations. In silence, we sat on the steps of the District Magistrate building clutching copies of a letter addressed to the government expressing our disappointment with their lack of support. There I was in India, sitting on the steps of this government office, clutching my piece of paper, fighting for the first time for the right of freedom of expression. I waved a little paper flag with all my heart but wondered whether it was the business of a foreigner such as myself to enter a country like India, steeped in religious traditions and strong political codes, and try to challenge them. I was, after all, only going to put my flag down and head home.

read the whole thing at http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/28/water.html