NEW DELHI, 19 December- In a topical conversation Asia Society India Centre was delighted to host the screening of I am not Here, a film on migrants produced by the Office of the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights. On the panel we welcomed Ashvin Kumar, Director, Christina MacGillivray, Co-Producer & Lead Researcher, Pia Oberoi, Advisor on Migration and Human Rights, UNOCHR, Igor Bosc, Work in Freedom Programme, International Labour Organisation, Karuna Nundy, Advocate at the Supreme Court of India, and the film was introduced by Deepa Mehta, Director.

Introducing the film Mehta stated “it is not just undocumented migrants [coming into India] but migrants around the corner too that we need to focus on.” Kumar claimed that he felt strongly about this film because he is enraged by issues of injustice, and felt the responsibility and urgency to represent those whose voices go unheard. One of the hardest barriers to overcome while filming the documentary was capturing and maintaining the emotion of the migrants with a translator. Oberoi said it is important to hear a migrant’s point of view rather than what we always hear from news channel which only represent numbers. We need to see them as humans with basic rights too. Europe is going to need 50 million workers by 2025, and most of them will be migrants.

Bosc said that we need to recognize the work migrants do, and not only see them as vulnerable in society, particularly the women who work the hardest in patriarchal societies such as South Asia, and America. Leaving the audience with thought-provoking questions Bosc asked: How do we recognize migrants? How do we make them feel part of society?

Video: Watch the complete program (52 min., 34 min.)

Reported by: Maneka Chotirmall, Programme Assistant, Asia Society India Centre.

This programme is part of our AsiaLens series, presenting an array of perspectives on the visual and performing arts of modern Asia, offering a vibrant and nuanced view across the continent. Previous events under this series include a special pre-release screening of 'Margarita with a Straw', a special pre-release screening of The Lunchbox, the India Premiere of 'Saving Face', and the India premiere of 'Fire In The Blood'. 

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