I Am Belmaya

This is such a lovely (true) story about a young Nepali girl who refuses to follow the path in life that is expected of her as a woman. Already at a young age you can tell she's feisty and determined despite having gone through a lot of difficulties already before she ends up in a children's home. It is intersting to follow her ups and downs over many years, as she changes from teenager to a mother. It is beautifully filmed and you really get to see what life is like for a girl in Nepal.

Wow! I was blown away by this film. It's such an incredible and original story of empowerment of a Nepali girl from a poor, Dalit background with no education, who then fights back - against her husband and society as a whole - with her camera as her weapon.

Heart-breakingly sad, funny, moving, heart-soaringly happy - you're taken through the whole gamut of emotions, but never feel manipulated. Such an insight into a way of life that you'd never be able to witness if it weren't Belmaya herself behind the camera. Belmaya rocks!

A film about Belmaya, partially shot by Belmaya.

I hope that Belmaya can keep the momentum going, these fleeting moments when you capture people's attention are very brief and very few people can follow that up at least at the same level. It's really a matter of luck and chances. She was doing her training, she probably had some sponsorships, was given the equipment and guidance, and she clearly had support and mentorship. And she resonated with people and was addressing issues that were "in" at the level of the national discourse I imagine. And she was a case herself, perfectly illustrating her own documentary short and being the main focus of this here documentary. Sadly that is sometimes the case with these "fashionable" topics. How long can they stay relevant, how long can she stay relevant on the scene after the chatter about her work dies down?

These programs target and support people at risk for a while. But then they need to help themselves. I hope she is able to. And that she is able to shoot. For money or for herself, or preferably both.

As for the film, I am appalled at what women have to put up with in some parts of the world, the humiliation, the suffering, the pain, the constant danger from your own family members, it's disheartening really. Nine castes in a village, what on earth is that? And how was he higher caste when he couldn't even read? The policeman said he was entitled to burn and kill her. It looks like the police should outlaw these beliefs and customs, doesn't it?

I never trusted that husband of hers, that change was never going to last. He would never accept feeling inferior to his wife, which he clearly was. That's how patriarchy works. If she's not objectively inferior, he needs to bring her down by threats and violence. Good riddance!

As others say this is a moving film as we follow Belmaya's struggle to achieve independence in a society that still ranks women as inferior.

Despite marrying young and having a child, she finds her way to success after Sue Carpenter gives her a camera; this gradually becomes her tool of empowerment.

A sensitive film addressing many issues set against the lovely backdrop of Pokhara. Belmaya's struggle is still not over nor is it for many girls in Nepal.

I found this a fascinating and very moving film - I would love to meet Belmaya.