VSO Canada is proud to present “Brothel Justice” – a short documentary film based on the lives of women living and working in a brothel in Bangladesh. See how these women are breaking through social and political barriers to empower themselves and make change.

Brothel Justice is a public engagement component of SCORE : Strengthening Communities’ Rights and Empowerment, a joint project of VSO Canada and its partners along with VSO Bangladesh and its affiliate community-based organizations.

Join us and meet the filmmakers and other volunteers from the project. Hear from a panel of guest speakers about their own experiences working with vulnerable communities in developing countries, including volunteers who worked with the sex workers at the brothel featured in the film.

The screening dates are:

Toronto
Tuesday, March 25, 6:30pm
YMCA Metro
20 Grosvenor Street
Meet filmmaker Priya Ramu

Vancouver
Friday, March 28, 6:30pm
Vancouver English Centre
250 Smithe Street
Meet filmmaker Priya Ramu

Calgary
Monday, March 31, 6:30pm
SAIT, Orpheus Theatre
1301-16 Avenue NW
Meet filmmaker Dominique Keller

Ottawa
Wednesday, April 2, 6:30pm
Bronson Centre, Mac Hall
211 Bronson Avenue
Meet photographer Monique Kilrane

Meet the Brothel Justice Team:
Dominique Keller (second from left)
Dominique’s first film Kilimanjaro the Journey found her training two women to mountain climb and then following them to the top of Africa’s tallest peak. Her second short film CEA, was selected as a top ten Alberta short and nominated for three Alberta Motion picture awards. Her latest film Aboriginality premiered at the Imaginative film festival and headlined the Banff Summer Arts festival. Her awards include a CTV fellowship and AMPIA mentorship with Joe Media Group.

Priya Ramu (depicted above, left)
What a journey it’s been for Priya, from hosting a radio show in Vancouver for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) to working on a documentary in Bangladesh. She has worked with the World University Services of Canada (WUSC), examining the issues of empowerment and self-determination of women in Morocco. In addition to volunteering with VSO, she has also volunteered for numerous women’s organizations in Canada, including WAVAW, Women Against Violence Against Women, and chairs the Board of PIRS (Pacific Immigrant Resources Society), an organization which provides literacy programs for immigrant women.

Monique Kirane
Monique is currently doing graduate studies in international law at Ottawa University. She has traveled extensively, working in the British Isles and Europe and volunteering in various places including the Dominican Republic and Morocco as well as at home in Canada. As a VSO volunteer, she spent six months in Dhaka, Bangladesh, working as a research advisor. Her experiences there lead her to produce a photo exhibition which was presented in Ottawa in the fall of 2007 with support from VSO Canada. The exhibit entitled “The Gold of Bengal” highlighted the heart, beauty and resilience of the Bengali people.

VSO is thankful to the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) for their funding support of the film. VSO also wishes to thank our program partners for their active support in bringing about this documentary project and these events across Canada.