Learning Human Dignity and Rights Through Cinema
Human dignity forms the basis of human rights, as it signifies the intrinsic worth that lies in every human being. Human rights would mean that a person possesses the worthiness of respect on all levels of treatments concerning sex, age, status, religion, ethnicity, and even political values. As a member of Western society, one finds it easy to overlook such matters as many live unaffected and even untouched by matters of human dignity, constantly and safely confined in the four walls of our homes or vehicles. Truth be told, however, the lack of human dignity still exists even on our own grounds; lack of awareness does not negate its reality. Sadly, many have become desensitized to its ubiquitous presence. By selectively choosing concerns that only benefit their own lives, the masses have terminated their ability to care. Such is the case, as portrayed in the films of Gandhi, Water, and Hotel Rwanda, in each film’s respective lands. Each film is a docudrama, retelling of the broken conditions of a society through a third person point of view. Each film stages a stark contrast between ones whose human dignity and rights have been deeply violated and the westerners who are entirely unaffected by such happenings.
In Deepa Mehta’s Water, human rights abuse leads to great suffering for women across the board. In particular, the viewers encounter a group of widows who are stripped of all human dignity due to their marital status. Through a third person omniscient point of view, this unfortunate reality is highlighted in the character of Madhumati’s who cannot bear to live a life of denial, which is required of all the widows. Even laws have been created and enforced to encourage the disposing of widows. In the face of limited and crooked options, she chooses to abandon the oppressive lifestyle of a widow in the face of others who suffer a hopeless predicament. In addition, parents and families...