Bombay Eunuch
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Sean Macdonald
Deepa Krishnan
Bimal Biswas
Bimal Biswas
John M Davis
Wendy Doniger
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
The eunuch has been a figure in Indian culture for nearly 2000 years. Once a revered figure kept at royal courts and feared for mystical powers they were assumed to possess, the coming of the British colonizers forced them to the lowest level of Indian caste society. The documentary examines this institution as it enters the 21st century, and comes face to face with globalization, gender studies, HIV, and perhaps most pressingly, their continued marginalization and accompanying poverty. Following the tight "family" of eunuchs that centers around the charismatic mother figure of Meena, the film casts a sympathetic gaze on a group that identifies as neither man nor woman and is harshly penalized as a result. Most are forced into prostitution or panhandling and band together in small communities that take the place of the families that have denied their existence. Hope in the form of social concern for their plight raises its head, but evaporates just as quickly.
Crew
Bimal Biswas
Bimal Biswas
John M Davis
Wendy Doniger
Penelope Falk
Penelope Falk
Frances Fergusson
Deepa Krishnan
Sean Macdonald
Gita Mehta
Ajay Norohna
Ajay Norohna
Sarah Pettit
Resul Pookutty
Alexandra Shiva
Gloria Steinem
Urvashi Vaid
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Winner of the award for Best Documentary at the 2001 New York Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.
Released in United States Fall November 16, 2001
Released in United States September 2000
Released in United States 2001
Released in United States June 2001
Shown at New York Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (Features) May 31 - June 10, 2001.
Shown at Nantucket Film Festival June 20-24, 2001.
Shown at Newport International Film Festival June 5-10, 2001.
Shown at San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival June 14-24, 2001.
Released in United States Fall November 16, 2001
Released in United States September 2000 (Shown as a "work-in-progress" at IFP Market/(IFFM) ("Rough Cuts") in New York City September 15-22, 2000.)
Released in United States June 2001 (Shown at Nantucket Film Festival June 20-24, 2001.)
Released in United States June 2001 (Shown at Newport International Film Festival June 5-10, 2001.)
Released in United States June 2001 (Shown at San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival June 14-24, 2001.)
Released in United States 2001 (Shown at New York Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (Features) May 31 - June 10, 2001.)
