Reviews
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“Sama in the Forest is a hybrid documentary set in contemporary Mithila, India, where tradition meets the challenges of a rapidly changing world…. Patrons and students interested in the diverse cultures of India will be thrilled to see this documentary. Highly Recommended.” – VIDEO LIBRARIAN |
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“Sama in the Forest rivetingly shows that folklore provides a catalyst for social change. This creative, colorful film reveals how women use storytelling to contest gender roles in South Asia…. Sama in the Forest is engrossing, visually stimulating, and emotionally compelling.” – VISUAL ANTHROPOLOGY REVIEW |
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“[The] mixture of voices both provides variety for the viewer and validity of the values being discussed across ages, gender, and social position….In addition to presenting a changing society challenging entrenched societal norms with wonderful commentators, it is beautiful, compelling, and truly ingenious.” – ASIAN ETHNOLOGY |
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“The interviews of various Maithili artists are intercut with scenes depicting the mythical narrative where the characters are portrayed by the very same artists giving interviews…. The affectation engendered by this style of filmmaking is twofold. Firstly, the juxtaposition of myth and reality accentuates the striking similarity of patriarchal oppression on women depriving them of their fundamental rights to education and agency altogether. Secondly, the fact that the same people are portraying the characters and giving interviews, foregrounds the interactive and collaborative filmmaking process….” – FILMBUFF |
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“Throughout the film, the storied experiences of the fictional Sama, a young woman and daughter of Lord Krishna, who is cursed by her father for venturing into the forest alone and befriending a man there, are paralleled with present-day experiences of the female members of the community who, like Sama, find their opportunities and freedom limited by the men in their lives.” – EDUCATIONAL MEDIA REVIEWS ONLINE |
“Sama in the Forest is a hybrid documentary set in contemporary Mithila, India, where tradition meets the challenges of a rapidly changing world.”
– VIDEO LIBRARIAN
“Sama in the Forest rivetingly shows that folklore provides a catalyst for social change. This creative, colorful film reveals how women use storytelling to contest gender roles in South Asia.”
– VISUAL ANTHROPOLOGY REVIEW
“The stories and rituals told and enacted by humans everywhere are a key component of defining our identities, aspirations, and dreams as well as our challenges and boundaries.”
– ASIAN ETHNOLOGY
“The interactive style of the film Sama in the Forest seems to be quite appropriate in terms of its subject matter. This ethnographic documentary focuses on the Sama Chakeva festival celebrated by Maithili women as well as the rituals and works of art associated with it and endeavors to make a comparative analysis between myth and reality.”
– FILMBUFF
“Sama in the Forest focuses on the titular Indian story, and a related form of painting. The filmmakers also explore traditional and evolving family and gender norms within the culture of Madhubani, located in the state of Bihar, India, in which the film is set.”
– EDUCATIONAL MEDIA REVIEWS ONLINE
Trailer
Maithil Women’s
story archive