The Department of Communication and Journalism, Gauhati University hosted a one-day workshop on “Challenging the Visual Depiction of Women and Sexual Violence in South Asia” in collaboration with Film Southasia and the HRI Institute, Kathmandu on 10th October, 2023. The event was held at Phanidhar Dutta Seminar Hall, Gauhati University. The event aimed to address the portrayal of gender-based violence in the region through film and visual media.
Ms. Laxmi Murthy, Director, HRI Institute for Southasian Research and Exchange, Kathmandu was present as the resource person for the workshop along with Sana Amir as an assistant to Ms. Murthy.
The movies in the event focused on gender violence and aimed to create a more empowering visual language for discussions on gender-based violence and justice were screened, including titles like “Before You Were My Mother”, “The Heartbroken Lover”, “Gurkha Girl” ,”Longing”, and “Decoding Gender”. Students from institutions attended the screening. The event provided a platform for advancing discussions on challenging and redefining the visual portrayal of gender-based violence in South Asia.
The event also featured an interactive session where students had discussions with Ms. Laxmi Murthy regarding various gender violence issues and the reforms currently being implemented to address them. Dr. Chandan Kr. Goswami, the Head in charge emphasized on the significance of power of visual language as a medium of persuasion on contemporary issues. Dr. Bharati Bharali, coordinator of the event highlighted on the need of cinema as a powerful medium for documentation and representation of gender violence in South Asian countries.
Furthermore, the special film edition of GU Times, a community newspaper by the Department of Communication and Journalism was inaugurated by Dr. Ranjan Kakati, Director, Students’ Welfare, Gauhati University. He addressed the students and delivered a speech, and also congratulated the editors of the issue Debashish Deka, Mriduljyoti Nath, and Arup Jyoti Das. Dr. Bishnu Saikia and Nishanta Sharma, the Teaching faculties of the Department were also present on the occasion.