Born into brothels update on zana briski

Almost ten years ago, I was introduced to a young struggling photographer, Zana Briski, who had lived in and photographed the life of a brothel in Kolkata, India, getting to know the sex workers and their children, Untouchables, over an extended period of time.

Zana soon forged a relationship with the children, bought inexpensive cameras and started teaching them how to capture their world through the eyes of a lens, eventually winning an international competition for their images.

Zana also started to enroll her small group in sympathetic local schools, all on her long suffering credit card.

During our meeting, she needed to raise money for the children as well as for her ultimate goal to make her film : Born into Brothels.

Born into brothels update on zana briski

Thanks to grants and individual donors, both goals were achieved against all odds.  Born Into Brothels was made and won an Academy Award. The children are now part of a Kolkata based charity KIDS WITH DES