New Delhi: Directors Shazia Javed and Nili Portugali’s films has been screened at ongoing Mumbai International Film Festival. The director duo shared their experiences with media during ‘Meet the Press’. While Shazia javed’s documentary ‘3Seconds Divorce’ deals with the physical and mental agony of Muslim women suffering triple talaq, Nili Portugali’s film ‘And the Alley She Whitewashed in Light Blue’ takes the audience on the mystic journey of spiritual peace and solace.
Shazia Javed in her documentary ‘3 Seconds Divorce’ has shed light on the evils of Triple Talaq. It is a story of Lubna from Mumbai, the victim of triple talaq, set on the backdrop of the movement against triple talaq launched by Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan. The film documents the entire journey of the movement that began in 2014. The documentary was made before the historic Supreme Court ruling that struck down the practice of triple talaq. The experiences of the women featured in the film are a reminder of why protests against the practice have raged over the decades.
During the press meet, Shazia Javed said that the documentary was not against divorce, but about equal rights to Muslim women and particularly in making decision regarding divorce. Commenting on the draft of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, she said that, it was good that the issue is being discussed at every possible platform and expressed hope that outcome will be good for Muslim women. 3 Seconds Divorce had its Indian premiere in the international competition section at the Mumbai International Film Festival.
Israeli film maker Nili Portugali also shared her views about her debut documentary. The 70 minutes documentary has no dialogue and just 20 minutes narration. The film is all about the journey in quest of spirituality, said Nili. While the humanity is facing existential crisis, everyone is looking for spiritual peace and salvation. As the quest to the spirituality continues, Nili Portugali takes us on a deep intimate journey to the holy city of Tsefat. Being an architect, Portugali feels that ancient mystic structures play a vital role in the quest for spirituality and salvation. ‘And the Alley She Whitewashed in Light Blue’ is a journey that unfolds gradually from her present holistic/Buddhist/scientific point of view to a discovery of profound universal insights of: What is their secret of all those great timeless places in which man feels ‘at home’.
Tsefat, the holy city in Israel is symbol of air, according to Judaism, is one of the four holy cities. It is believed to be an ideal place for attaining the deepest secrets of the Torah. Interestingly, Nili is the seventh generation descendant of a family living in the holy ‘Kabbala’ city of Tsefat, Israel.
