ADVERTISEMENT

'My Bloody Jeans': When a pair of jeans tells a story

Updated - May 29, 2020 04:02 pm IST

Published - May 29, 2020 03:25 pm IST - Kochi

The Malayalam short film by JAS trains the spotlight on women’s safety

A still from ‘My Bloody Jeans’

A young girl struggles with a pair of tight jeans. She tries them on with great difficulty and later through the day, finds it challenging to unbutton them in the washroom. The jeans, however, save her from a rape attempt the same night.

My Bloody Jeans , a short film in Malayalam, released recently on YouTube, trains the spotlight on jeans. Many traditionalists in India still stigmatise women wearing jeans. Such women, they say, “invite trouble” as opposed to those dressed in traditional clothing. Many, including politicians have openly endorsed this view. The film tries to break the notion that women’s clothing choices often lead to violence against them.

“We were inspired by an incident that took place in Noida in 2012, where a pair of jeans prevented a young girl from rape,” says Aamy Jee, one of the filmmakers. Directed, scripted and produced by the Kochi-based Jee Thomas, Aamy Jee and Shibil Najeeb(JAS), the film strikes the viewer on multiple levels — how unfriendly workplaces still are for women; how they are constantly judged based on their appearance; and how women are still unsafe in their own environment. “We wanted the film to bring up uncomfortable issues that are still relevant to women,” says Jee.

ADVERTISEMENT

Filming a theme such as this was challenging, says the team, but it has been handled sensitively, conveying to the viewer the crux of the issue. “We talk about women’s rights, but do we even have enough public restrooms for women?” asks Shibil.

Jee Thomas, Aamy Jee and Shibil Najeeb

The 26-minute film was shot in Ernakulam. Cinematography has been handled by Prashant Babu and Sithara Vijayan essays the main character.

ADVERTISEMENT

The film won a special jury mention at the Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival (2020) and it has been sent to a few international short film festivals as well.

The film is available on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7PJPW5YJ-k

This is a Premium article available exclusively to our subscribers. To read 250+ such premium articles every month
You have exhausted your free article limit.
Please support quality journalism.
You have exhausted your free article limit.
Please support quality journalism.
The Hindu operates by its editorial values to provide you quality journalism.
This is your last free article.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT