Land of Widows

Land of Widows a 21minute Indian documentary film directed by Aarti Shrivastava. The film focuses on the unsustainable working conditions of mine workers in the state of Rajasthan, India. Set in the Bhilwara district of Rajasthan this film captures the exploitation the workers have to go through on a daily basis to work in illegal mines for a dollar a day. Blending investigative journalism with helplessness and dark humour, the film tells the stories of average sandstone miners victimized by corporate greed and political corruption. It examines how sandstone mining has affected the local communities and also people occupied with this occupation. Despite stone minings links to several occupational diseases such as psychoneurosis, silicosis, tuberculosis, asbestosis and asthma, abject poverty keeps driving villagers in many parts of the state to illegal mining. More than 70 men from 60 families have died in the last few years of silicosis caused by inhalation of dust containing free crystalline silica. Their men were all mine workers employed in illegal stone quarries that have mushroomed over the pastyears across the state thanks to record demand for sandstone, marble and other stones as people across the country built homes, offices and malls.

Treating a major social issue sensitively is an art. A very good attempt by Aarti. I recommend it strongly and definitely give it a thumbsup. Abbas Arnaout, Director Aljazeera International Documentary Film Festival.A side effect of a know problem remained unknown until the completion of this documentary. A piece of knowledge and respect. Alberto Meroni, Film Director amp Author ........

Source: Wikipedia