South Asian Journalist Association Convention Film Program

Muslims or Heretics

Dir: Naeem Mohaiemen
Bangladesh, 2004, 30 min
Bengali with English Subtitles

Director will be present for Q&A

The Ahmadiyas are a small Muslim sect that was founded a hundred years ago. Because they believe in a Prophet after Prophet Mohammed (pbuh), Islamist political parties accuse them of "spoiling the spirit of Islam." In 1974, they were banned in Pakistan, and in 2004, their books were banned in Bangladesh. The battle over Ahmadiyyas reflects a larger struggle for the soul of Political Islam. This documentary focuses on the growing crisis, and the resistance that is coming from activists.

More info: http://www.pinholepictures.com/ahmadiya

The Meeting

Dir: Shakil Hannan
Bangladesh, 2000, 32 min
Bengali with English Subtitles

A young man is picked up by a mysterious group and put through a grueling interrogation. He keeps insisting they have picked up the wrong man, but in a Kafkaesque scenario, the interrogators accuse him of using an alias. Inspired by the controversial "Operation Clean Heart" program where scores of alleged criminals in Bangladesh died of "heart attacks" while in army custody.

Kyaari

Dir: Sebhan Zaidi
2003, 28 min
Urdu with English Subtitles

Director will be present for Q&A

A bootlegger's stroll through Karachi leads him to encounter the vast experiences embedded within the city leading him ultimately to an unforeseen fate.

Tales of the Night Fairies

Dir: Shohini Ghosh
India, 74 min, 2002
Bengali with English Subtitles

Five sex workers -- four women and one man -- along with the filmmaker/narrator embark on a journey of storytelling. Tales of the Night Fairies explores the power of collective organizing and resistance while reflecting upon contemporary debates around sex work. The simultaneously expansive and labyrinthine city of Calcutta forms the backdrop for the personal and musical journeys of storytelling.

Go.To.ASA : Gen Om Takes On AIDS in South Asia

Dir: DK Khambata & D. Burns
2000, 3 X 30 seconds

Project 100%human: Musician/dj/videographer/AIDS activist DK produces and co-directs this 3-part PSA initiative entitled "4HUM", to promote AIDS awareness in South Asia, one small step at a time.

INITIATIVE 1: 100% Human
INITIATIVE 2: Stigma
INITIATIVE 3: True/False

More info: http://www.gotoasa.org

C.U.M. [Conventional Urge Management]

Dir: Matias Gerardo Grieck
Japan, 1996, 8 min, no dialogue

Two Japanese men, both marked on their foreheads -- one with a positive symbol, the other with a negative symbol -- meet casually and exchange a mysterious red ball which serves as a code for the preparation and "performance" of virtual sex. In a mock public service announcement that attempts to sell virtual sex as more appealing and safe than physical sex, Grieck offers biting commentary on the current state of public sex education and our obsession with new technology. C.U.M. serves up a pulsating and throbbing warning about the future of human intimacy.

More info: http://catalog.frameline.org/titles/c_u_m.html

Panel Discussion: UNDER THE COVERS: HIV/AIDS & the MEDIA

Our panelists will speak about their experience organizing different communities around HIV/AIDS and the role of the media in public knowledge and perception of the issue. Furthermore they will start a conversation about what roles journalists can play in advancing more progressive and timely policies to deal with the epidemic.

Confirmed Panelists

Debanuj Dasgupta of Asian & Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV/AIDS (APICHA) will moderate the discussion.

• Svati Shah, a Ph.D. candidate in Columbia's joint Anthropology and Public Health doctoral program. Her research explores invisible sex work among day-wage construction workers in India.
• Ji-Fei Cheng, Gay Bisexual Transgender Project Coordinator, APICHA