Restructuring the narrative and portrayal of women in cinema | Uma Vangal | TEDxNapierBridgeWomen

Films readily offer fodder for epiphanies through their voyeuristic nature, episodes of which unwittingly find their way into our every day lives. Unfortunately, the regressive portrayal of women characters also crack their way into domestic settings. In this stirring talk, Film Professor and Gender Activist Uma Vangal speaks on how we can change the narrative by positively representing women in cinema with purpose, meaning, and cultural sensitivity.

Uma Vangal is an affiliated scholar at Kenyon College, Ohio and an Adjunct Faculty at Asian College of Journalism teaching Film, Gender and Culture. Her film ‘Akku Leela’ aided Supreme Court to rule in favour of two Dalit women whose struggle she had documented. A Fulbright Nehru Scholar, she taught at Kenyon College, Ohio bringing in a better understanding of India through her courses “Indian Cinema as a Social lens: Bollywood and Beyond” and “Women in Film in South Asia”. As a Founder-trustee of the MIRA Trust, she works with youngsters especially young girls/women to create opportunities for empowerment, employability and enhanced livelihood choices. Her talks on Gender sensitivity focus on creating a woman’s perspective among media practitioners and audiences alike. The oral history “Memory Project” documents a geriatric generation and their memories for posterity before a way of life disappears This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx