'Not my life', a globally acclaimed documentary on modern day slavery directed by Oscar nominee Robert Bilheimer, is set be aired on Doordarshan.
The film, which addresses various forms of slavery like the military use of children in Uganda, involuntary servitude in the US, forced begging and garbage picking in India, sex trafficking in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, as well as other kinds of child abuse, was released in America in 2011.
Filmed in five continents, in a dozen countries, over a period of more than four years, 'Not My Life' has been specially edited for broadcast and distribution in India, and is a co-production of Worldwide Documentaries and Riverbank Studios in New Delhi.
"For those who watch, and we hope millions do, 'Not My Life' is both an eye-opener and a profoundly moving call to action. We here at DD are proud to be a launching pad for what we all hope will be a sustained awareness effort throughout our country in the years to come," Doordarshan Director General, Tripurari Sharan said at a screening here late last evening.
"From DD's point of view, the June 29th broadcast is an opportunity to bring the national and international tragedy of human trafficking and modern slavery to the attention of our huge audience," Sharan said.
'Not my Life' was named Best World Documentary at the Harlem International Film Festival in September 2012 and was also supported by the CNN Freedom Project.
"Every eight minutes a child goes missing in India. These children don't just disappear into thin air, they become slaves. They work in factories and in brothels, in agriculture and stone quarries, they make bindis and cigarettes, and they number in millions," Kailash Satyarthi, founder Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), an NGO working against child labour said.
He pointed out, "We are in denial about the reality of child slavery and human trafficking not only in India, but around the world.
Satyarthi, is among the 50 people interviewed in the documentary. Others include investigative journalist Paul Radu of Bucharest, Katherine Chon of the Polaris Project, Somaly Mam of the Somaly Mam Foundation, Don Brewster of Agape International Mission and Cinematographer Richard Young.
The docu film translated into Hindi, is scheduled to air on Doordarshan (DD) National, the country's public television network, on June 29th in its "featured film" 9:30 - 10:30 pm time slot.
