Something Like a War – Open City Documentary Festival 2023

Deepa Dhanraj’s 1985 film Something Like a War is screening as part of The Invisible Self a programme of films curated by Shai Heredia exploring feminist documentary filmmaking in India during the 1980s and 1990s. This programme is taking place as part of Open City Documentary Festival, showcasing the art of non-fiction.

At a time when the narrative about development in India was focused on the issue of overpopulation with the blame and responsibility being directed towards the poor, Something Like a War is a chilling examination of the brutal, coercive and corrupt nature of the family planning programme from the point of view of the women who are its primary targets. As the women themselves discuss their status, sexuality, fertility control and health, it is clear that their perceptions are in conflict with those of the programme.

In the presence of Deepa Dhanraj and followed by a conversation between Deepa Dhanraj and Shai Heredia.