Born Into Brothels
1. What human rights issues are illustrated in the film? What international laws are in place to stop or prevent those abuses?
2. In the beginning credits of the film, we see images of the children’s eyes looking down on images of the red light district. What themes do these images reflect?
What does it tell the viewer about the children? (Clip 1)
3. What is the role of photography in this film? Of music? (Clips 19, 31, 33, 54)
4. What are the changes in the children’s outlook and personalities when they are taken out of the brothel to the beach and zoo? (Clips 20-21, 31-33)
5. If these children were taken out of the brothel environment permanently, do you think that they could fully recover from the injustices and trauma that they have previously faced? Why? Why not?
6. If life in the brothels is all the children have ever known, then how do they know that it is not how they want to live? If it has become the norm, then how do they know that it is not normal for a child to grow up in that environment? Are we born with an internal human rights’ radar? Is awareness of human rights a part of human nature? (Clips 17, 26, 40-41)
7. What can we do for kids that have not been presented with an opportunity to leave the brothels or who have not been helped by someone like Zana? What kind of programs can we implement to create sustainable change for all children of sex-workers? Is it enough to help the children? Why or why not? What can be done for the mothers and the rest of the community?
8. Why did Zana become so involved with these children? What lessons did Zana learn throughout her journey? There were times when Zana seemed to get very frustrated with the bureaucracy in India. What do you think kept her going? (Clips 3,
36-39, 50) 9. Think about the scene in which Zana is talking to a school principal about the possibility of enrolling the children into school. The principal says “No one will take them.” (Clip 25)
• What
2. In the beginning credits of the film, we see images of the children’s eyes looking down on images of the red light district. What themes do these images reflect?
What does it tell the viewer about the children? (Clip 1)
3. What is the role of photography in this film? Of music? (Clips 19, 31, 33, 54)
4. What are the changes in the children’s outlook and personalities when they are taken out of the brothel to the beach and zoo? (Clips 20-21, 31-33)
5. If these children were taken out of the brothel environment permanently, do you think that they could fully recover from the injustices and trauma that they have previously faced? Why? Why not?
6. If life in the brothels is all the children have ever known, then how do they know that it is not how they want to live? If it has become the norm, then how do they know that it is not normal for a child to grow up in that environment? Are we born with an internal human rights’ radar? Is awareness of human rights a part of human nature? (Clips 17, 26, 40-41)
7. What can we do for kids that have not been presented with an opportunity to leave the brothels or who have not been helped by someone like Zana? What kind of programs can we implement to create sustainable change for all children of sex-workers? Is it enough to help the children? Why or why not? What can be done for the mothers and the rest of the community?
8. Why did Zana become so involved with these children? What lessons did Zana learn throughout her journey? There were times when Zana seemed to get very frustrated with the bureaucracy in India. What do you think kept her going? (Clips 3,
36-39, 50) 9. Think about the scene in which Zana is talking to a school principal about the possibility of enrolling the children into school. The principal says “No one will take them.” (Clip 25)
• What