Women of Other Faiths
Using common values contained in their respective teachings, women of all religious traditions can work together and collaborate in many areas especially peace building and women’s empowerment. Collectively women of all faiths can learn from each other’s struggles and histories, while showing support for women’s religious leadership roles worldwide. Please contribute to this archive by suggesting women of all faiths to be featured through our recommendation form.
- Browse by Religion
- Browse by Country
- Search
Deepa Mehta
Known For: Filmaker
Dates: 1950
Faith: Hinduism
Country: India
About
Deepa Mehta is an Indian filmmaker based in Canada. She began her film career making documentaries and writing scripts for children’s movies. In 1991 she produced her first feature length film, Sam and Me, which won honorable mention at the Cannes film festival. In 1996, she began her award winning elements trilogy addressing women’s social justice issues within South Asia. Fire, a film addressing a lesbian relationship between two married women in India, inspired such anger that people tried to burn down cinemas showing the movie; Mehta arrived at the opening with bodyguards to protect her against the fundamentalist backlash. Earth, again greeted by protests, showed the horror of Partition through the eyes of an eight-year-old girl, and Water looked at the fate of a widowed little forced to live in an ashram. Mehta uses her film to bring international attention to current and historical injustices and provoke discussion and action. Her most recent film, Heaven on Earth, focuses on a woman who moves from a loving family in India to enter into an arranged marriage with an abusive Canadian husband.
