Meherjaan

Description

In 1971, during Bangladesh's war of independence, Meher falls in love with a soldier from the enemy side. When her love is discovered, she is shamed and silenced by her family and society. Today 38 years after the war, Meher has a visitor she cannot turn down. Sarah, a 'war-child,' Meher's cousin Neela's daughter, who was given away for adoption has come back to piece together her past. Together, these two women must re-tell history through their stories in order to cut through the stigmas and walk into light. Meherjaan is a film about loving the Other. Meherjaan gives away with the unitary masculine narrative in order to usher in an emotional multiplicity of feminine emotion and sensibility. This film critiques certain pitfalls of nationalism that create conditions to justify war, killing and violence. Finally, Meherjaan attempts to offer an aesthetic solution to war and violence by taking refuge in love and spiritual submission. In 1971, the state of Pakistan raged into war. As a result, the country was divided and East Pakistan emerged as sovereign Bangladesh. 38 years later, Sarah, a war child begins a journey into her past. Meher, a middle aged sculptress, a survivor of 1971 war lives in Dhaka city alone. When Meher opens her chest of memory she pulls one story after another ...

Runtime

120 minutes

Subjects

Geography

Genre

Database

Alexander Street

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