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Because We Are Girls

Baljit Sangra
2019 | 85 min

Selections and Awards

  • Official SelectionHot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, Toronto, Canada (2019)

  • Opening Gala - Official SelectionDoxa Documentary Film Festival, Vancouver, Canada (2019)

  • Official SelectionSEOUL International Women's Film Festival (SIWFF), Seoul, South Korea (2019)

  • Official SelectionFIN Atlantic International Film Festival, Halifax, Nova Scotia (2019)

  • Audience Choice Award Winner Reelworld Film Festival, Toronto, Ontario (2019)

  • Best Cinematography for Canadian Feature/Short AwardVancouver Asian Film Festival, Vancouver, British Columbia (2019)

  • Best Director for Canadian Feature/Short AwardVancouver Asian Film Festival, Vancouver, British Columbia (2019)

  • Best Canadian Feature/Short AwardVancouver Asian Film Festival, Vancouver, British Columbia (2019)

  • Official SelectionSouth Asian Film Festival of Montreal (SAFFM), Montreal, Canada (2020)

A conservative Indo-Canadian family in small-town British Columbia must come to terms with a devastating secret: three sisters were sexually abused by an older relative beginning in their childhood years. After remaining silent for nearly two and a half decades, the sisters decide to come forward—not only to protect other young relatives, but to set an example for their daughters as well.

Documentarian Baljit Sangra sensitively explores the impact of sexual abuse on a family, turning her empathetic lens on intimate moments in the family’s life. Full of nuance and layers, Because We Are Girls weaves poetically between past and present, darkness and light. We witness the emotional toll that pursuing justice through the courts and confronting their family for not protecting them as children takes on the sisters. But we also share in their happiness as they bond with their daughters and dance along to their favourite Bollywood songs. As the film deftly intertwines touching home footage of the young, innocent girls they once were alongside uplifting scenes of the strong, empowered women they have become, the family’s unconditional love flows freely through it all.

Straying from typical portraits of the journey to healing, Because We Are Girls offers a unique and powerful tribute to women’s strength in the face of profound trauma.


Short Synopsis

A conservative Indo-Canadian family in small-town British Columbia must come to terms with a devastating secret: three sisters were sexually abused by an older relative beginning in their childhood years. After remaining silent for nearly two and a half decades, the sisters finally decide to come forward—not only to protect other young relatives, but to set an example for their daughters as well.



Trailer


CLIP 1: Jeeti


Clip 2 : Bollywood and culture


Clip 3: Jesse


Images


Title: Because We Are Girls_01
Photo:
Caption: Sisters Salakshana, Jeeti and Kira with their mother growing up in Williams Lake, a small resource based town in British Columbia, where their parents immigrated from India.
URL: https://mediaspace.nfb.ca/wp-content/uploads/1000790_BecauseWeAreGirls_NFB_10020110-1.jpg
Description:
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info_outline Description
Sisters Salakshana, Jeeti and Kira with their mother growing up in Williams Lake, a small resource based town in British Columbia, where their parents immigrated from India.

Title: Because We Are Girls_02
Photo:
Caption: Baljit Sangra's Because We Are Girls follows a conservative Indo-Canadian family in small-town British Columbia that must come to terms with a devastating secret: three sisters were sexually abused by an older relative beginning in their childhood years.
URL: https://mediaspace.nfb.ca/wp-content/uploads/because_we_are_girls_GRAB_4_web.jpg
Description:
Download
info_outline Description
Baljit Sangra's Because We Are Girls follows a conservative Indo-Canadian family in small-town British Columbia that must come to terms with a devastating secret: three sisters were sexually abused by an older relative beginning in their childhood years.

Title: Because We Are Girls_03
Photo:
Caption: Because We Are Girls follows Jeeti Pooni, and her sisters Salakshana and Kira, as they decide to come forward to not only protect their younger relatives but to set an example for their daughters and nieces.
URL: https://mediaspace.nfb.ca/wp-content/uploads/Jeeti_new.jpg
Description:
Download
info_outline Description
Because We Are Girls follows Jeeti Pooni, and her sisters Salakshana and Kira, as they decide to come forward to not only protect their younger relatives but to set an example for their daughters and nieces.

Title: Because We Are Girls_04
Photo:
Caption: Salakshana, the eldest Pooni sister, discusses how it felt to be raised in a family and culture that did not value daughters.
URL: https://mediaspace.nfb.ca/wp-content/uploads/because_we_are_girls_GRAB_3_web.jpg
Description:
Download
info_outline Description
Salakshana, the eldest Pooni sister, discusses how it felt to be raised in a family and culture that did not value daughters.

Title: Because We Are Girls_05
Photo:
Caption: Kira, the younger Pooni sister, along with Salakshana and Jeeti – decide to come forward to not only protect their young relatives but to set an example for their daughters and nieces.
URL: https://mediaspace.nfb.ca/wp-content/uploads/1000790_BecauseWeAreGirls_NFB_10054512-1.jpg
Description:
Download
info_outline Description
Kira, the younger Pooni sister, along with Salakshana and Jeeti – decide to come forward to not only protect their young relatives but to set an example for their daughters and nieces.

Title: Because We Are Girls_06
Photo:
Caption: Because We Are Girls follows Salakshana, Kira and Jeeti Pooni as they come to terms with a devasting secret twenty-five years in the making: they were sexually abused by the same older relative throughout their childhood years.
URL: https://mediaspace.nfb.ca/wp-content/uploads/because_we_are_girls_still_TC10265605_300dpi_EPK.jpg
Description:
Download
info_outline Description
Because We Are Girls follows Salakshana, Kira and Jeeti Pooni as they come to terms with a devasting secret twenty-five years in the making: they were sexually abused by the same older relative throughout their childhood years.

Promotional Materials

Team


Baljit Sangra
Filmmaker

Photo
Photo : Emily Cooper


NFB

Selwyn Jacob
Producer

Photo
Photo : NFB



Shirley Vercruysse
Executive Producer

Photo
Photo : Myriam Frenette


Credits

Written and directed by
BALJIT SANGRA

Producer
SELWYN JACOB

Associate Producer
TERI SNELGROVE

Director of Photography
GRANT BALDWIN

Editor
CARMEN POLLARD
JESSICA DYMOND

Composer
GENEVIEVE VINCENT

Sound Designer
EVA MADDEN

Line Producer
JENNIFER ROWORTH

Additional Cinematography
VINCE ARVIDSON
THOMAS BILLINGSLEY

Sound Recordist
JEFF HENSCHEL
DAVID PULLMER
LISA KOLISNYK

Production Manager
CAROLINE COUTTS

First Assistant Camera
ROBERT MOBERG
EVA BROWNSTEIN

Data Wrangler
MAXIME NOEL
GEORGE FAULKNER

Gaffer
CHASE FLETCHER
CHESTER DIXON

Technical Coordinator
WES MACHNIKOWSKI

Story Consultant
CARMEN POLLARD

Researcher
JEETI POONI
CAROLINE COUTTS

Production Coordinator
KRISTYN STILLING

Production Assistant
JESSICA YOUNG
ALAN REID

Assistant Editor
RHEA MACDONALD
ASHLEY LYNCH

Visual FX
BUN LEE

Graphics
JENNY BREUKELMAN

Translator
AMIT DHAUMYA
MADHVI DHAUMYA

Re-recording Mixer
SHELLEY CRAIG

Digital Colourist
LORNE WRIGHT

Finishing Services
FINALÉ

Thank you for your courage
Jeeti Pooni
Kira Pooni
Salakshana Pooni
Narinder Pooni (Mom)
Gurdev Pooni (Dad)
Jesse Pooni
Chandani Pooni
Surjit Sumra
Maheema Sumra
Shia Sumra
Raj Rana

Music

“chura liya hai tumne jo dil ko”
Performed by Asha Bhosle and Mohammed Rafi
Music by R.D. Burman and Majrooh Sultanpuri
Used by permission of Saregama Music USA and India ltd.

“ab insaf hoga”
Directed by Harish Shah, Courtesy of Parth Productions

“punjabi mutiyaran”
Performed by Jasmine Sandlas
Music by Jaidev Kumar, Lyrics by Lalie Gill
Used by permission of Yellow Music pvt. ltd.

“push it”
By Ray Davies and Herby Azor
Sons of K-OSS Music, inc and WB Music Corp.
All rights on behalf of itself and sons of K-OSS Music, inc
Administered by WB Music Corp.

“williams lake”
Performed by Raaginder – violin, Ashley Jarmack – woodwinds
Written and Composed by Genevieve Vincent

“married for love”
Performed by Genevieve Vincent
Written and Composed by Genevieve Vincent

“happy memories”
Performed by Raaginder – violin, Ro Rowan – cello
Written and Composed by Genevieve Vincent

“breaking the cycle”
Performed by Ashley Jarmack – woodwinds,
Raaginder – violin, Ro Rowan – cello
Written and Composed by Genevieve Vincent

“you just know”
Performed by Raaginder – violin
Written and Composed by Genevieve Vincent

“silk and perfume”
Performed by Raaginder – violin, Ro Rowan – cello
Written and Composed by Genevieve Vincent

“footsteps in the snow”
Performed by Ashley Jarmack – woodwinds,
Raaginder – violin, Ro Rowan – cello
Written and Composed by Genevieve Vincent

“girl in the mirror”
Performed by Raaginder – violin, Ro Rowan – cello
Written and Composed by Genevieve Vincent

“wild horse”
Performed by Raaginder – violin, Ro Rowan – cello
Written and Composed by Genevieve Vincent

“crossing the bridge”
Performed by Michael Wheeler – Dilruba
Written and Composed by Genevieve Vincent

“i love to dance”
Performed by Ashley Jarmack – woodwinds,
Raaginder – violin, Ro Rowan – cello
Written and Composed by Genevieve Vincent

Archival

Excerpts from
“ab insaf hoga” (1995)
Directed by Harish Shaw
Courtesy of Parth Productions

“neel kamal” (1968)
Directed by Ram Maheshwari
Courtesy of Shemaroo Entertainment ltd.

“prem rog” (1982)
Directed by Raj Kapoor
Courtesy of RK Studios

“dharmatma” (1975)
Directed by Feroz Khan
Courtesy of FK (Feroz Khan) Films

“heer ranjha” (1970)
Directed by Masood Pervaiz
Courtesy of Ejaz Durrani/Punjab Pictures

CBC Archive Sales

National Film Board of Canada

Marketing Manager
Kay Rondonneau

Publicist
KATJA DE BOCK

Studio Administrator
CARLA JONES

Executive Producer
SHIRLEY VERCRUYSSE

Executive Director, English Program
MICHELLE VAN BEUSEKOM

©2019 National Film Board of Canada


Media Relations

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