FESTIVALS: *Dok.Fest Münich (Germany) * IDFA (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) * ZagrebDox (Croatia) * DocHouse London (UK) * FIFDH - Festival du film et Forum sur les Droits Humains (Geneve, Switzerland) * Full Frame Documentary Film Festival (Durham, USA) * Take One Action Film Festival (Edinburgh, UK) * Reykjavik International Film Festival (RIFF) (Iceland) * Inconvenient Films Documentary Festival (Vilnius, Lithuania) * Move It! Filmfestival für Menschenrechte und Entwicklung (Dresden, Germany) * Human Rights Arts & Film Festival (HRAFF) (Melbourne, Australia) * Doc Cévennes - Festival international du documentaire en Cévennes (Lasalle, France) * Jerusalem Anthropological Film Festival (Jerusalem, Israel) * FIWOM - Festival for Women's Rights (Seoul, South Korea) * Brave Festival Film (Wroclaw, Poland) * Nuremberg International Human Rights Film Festival (Germany) * Docs Against Gravity Film Festival (Poland) * Asiatica Filmmediale (Rome, Italy) * Europe on Screen (Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia) * Kommunales Kino Freiburg (Freiburg, Germany) * Papua New Guinea Human Rights Film Festival (, Papua New Guinea) * One World film clubs (Wien, Austria) * UNRIC - United Nations Regional Information Centre (Brussels, Belgium) * Festival du film d'éducation (France) * MIRA Film Fest (México DF, México) * Budapest International Documentary Festival (Hungary) * ZINEXIT - Festival for Human Rights (Bilbao, Spain) * EthnoFilmFest (München, Germany) * PerSo- Perugia Social Film Festival (Italy) * FOKAL - Fondation Connaissance et libertés (Haïti) * Rencontres “Elles font leur cinéma” (Rouen, France) * dox & shorts (Austria)
AWARDS: * Impact Award for Best Feature Film, Human Rights Arts and Film Festival 2014 (Melbourne, Australia)
* Oxfam Global Justice Award, IDFA 2013
* Honorable Mention, Tromsø International Film Festival 2014
* Best Documentary, Norwegian Documentary Film Festival 2014
* Best Documentary, Norway Tamil Film Festival 2014
* Nominated for Best Documentary, One World Media Award 2014
Light Fly, Fly High
Category |
Human Interest, Social Issues, Sport, Women
Year |
2013
Country |
Norway
Running time |
58’ & 80’
Format |
HD
Production |
Fri Film AS, Made in Copenhagen
Director |
Beathe Hofseth, Susann Ostigaard
Thulasi is a young Indian woman who knows she has a tough future ahead of her. Not only is she a woman, but she was born a "Dalit," or "untouchable" in the Indian caste system. Her early years were a struggle for survival and now, as a young adult, she is determined to fight for a better life – quite literally. Making use of a government program that offers jobs to young athletes, she is trying to fight her way to the top in the boxing ring. But at nearly 25, she has almost reached the cut-off point to receive help from the program. Although she is one of the best boxers on her team, there are more obstacles to overcome than just the boxing championship. Taking part in these competitions is an expensive business, so the boss of the boxing association has the power to make or break her career. And as soon as you enter his office with its curtains drawn, you know exactly what he wants in return for his signature. But Thulasi is not prepared to exchange sexual favors for a piece of paper. Beathe Hofseth and Susann Østigaard’s first full-length documentary follows the courageous young woman through this crucial period, including her struggles inside and outside the ring. Will Thulasi be able to take control of her own fate and get an honest shot at an independent life?
