Screened at several venues in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and USA, the film is now crossing more borders, its universal relevance highlighted with a series of ‘Global Community Screenings’ in a dozen countries around the world, with major cities like London, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Vancouver among them. Those interested in joining may submit an online form
By Pragyan Srivastava | Sapan News | Boston
Ahead of Sri Lanka’s Presidential elections, 21 September 2024, a documentary following up on the island nation’s 2022 economic crisis is being screened globally accompanied by discussions about democracy and debt in today’s world.
While Sri Lanka’s 2022 economic collapse was a stark warning against fiscal mismanagement, the crisis also exposed the fragility of its democratic institutions.
The 25-minute film ‘Democracy in Debt: Sri Lanka Beyond the Headlines’, directed by journalist, peace activist and Founder-Editor Sapan News, Beena Sarwar, supported by the Pulitzer Center, juxtaposes interviews with farmers and teachers in a remote village with policymakers and academics in Colombo, exploring issues around the rural-urban divide, the struggle for democratic norms, and economic stability.
Democracy in Debt’ s a global narrative resonating with the struggles of governance, accountability, and the enduring spirit of democracy many nations face. Although the film centres on Sri Lanka, its message is urgent and universal.
Screenings in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and the USA have been accompanied by animated discussions and engaged audiences, with viewers challenged to look beyond the headlines and grapple with the complex realities that define the struggle for democracy today (See this document for more details).
Prominent Sri Lankan political commentator and former ambassador Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka who attended the film’s premiere at a cinema in Colombo in July said that the documentary helped educate him on something he already “knew quite a lot about.” He also suggested that all Presidential candidates and political party leaders must watch the film (Daily Financial Times).
From crowded halls in Colombo, Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad to intimate gatherings in California and Texas, the film has sparked discussions among students, journalists, activists, and policymakers.
“I never expected such a response,” says Sarwar.
Shahid Nadeem of Ajoka Theatre who watched the film at the prestigious Alhamra Arts Council in Lahore in August sees it as “a warning for Pakistani policymakers to avoid taking the road to Colombo.”
Prominent artist and human rights activist Salima Hashmi introduced the film at the Lahore screening, with banker Zafar Masud and feminist activist and development consultant Khawar Mumtaz among the discussants. They are all supporters of the Southasia Peace Action Network, co-founded by Sarwar, a coalition of individuals and organisations working towards the freedom of trade, travel, and tourism in the region. Over 90 organisations and hundreds of individuals have endorsed its Founding Charter, available online in several languages.
Shahid Nadeem of Ajoka Theatre who watched the film at the prestigious Alhamra Arts Council in Lahore in August sees it as “a warning for Pakistani policymakers to avoid taking the road to Colombo.”
Prominent artist and human rights activist Salima Hashmi introduced the film at the Lahore screening, with banker Zafar Masud and feminist activist and development consultant Khawar Mumtaz among the discussants. They are all supporters of the Southasia Peace Action Network, co-founded by Sarwar, a coalition of individuals and organisations working towards the freedom of trade, travel, and tourism in the region. Over 90 organisations and hundreds of individuals have endorsed its Founding Charter, available online in several languages.
Connecting global communities
The film will be screened on 18 September at Emerson College in Boston, where Sarwar teaches journalism.
It also forms the core of a unique series of public and private ‘Global Community Screenings’ around the world starting this weekend in over a dozen countries – Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Holland, India, Jamaica, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The events will continue until September 21, with Sept. 22 being a ‘bonus day’.
Those interested in participating can join by filling out an online form, enabling democracy supporters and film lovers worldwide to join this conversation.
Over 20 screenings are scheduled at the time of writing, with several film and democracy supporters also holding private events in various cities, besides some public events.
It also forms the core of a unique series of public and private ‘Global Community Screenings’ around the world starting this weekend in over a dozen countries – Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Holland, India, Jamaica, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The events will continue until September 21, with Sept. 22 being a ‘bonus day’.
Those interested in participating can join by filling out an online form, enabling democracy supporters and film lovers worldwide to join this conversation.
Over 20 screenings are scheduled at the time of writing, with several film and democracy supporters also holding private events in various cities, besides some public events.
With her work on human rights, gender, media, and peace, Beena Sarwar is no stranger to the challenges of documenting complex socio-political landscapes. ‘Democracy in Debt’ is further enriched by collaboration with Sri Lankans, like the acclaimed historian, art historian, author and academic Dr. SinhaRaja Tammita-Delgoda, and researcher Uditha Devapriya, senior international analyst at Factum, the reputed Colombo-based think tank that partnered with the project.
A global conversation starter
Soon after completion in June, the film was screened at the Dishari Public Library in Milpitas, California in June, followed by a screening at ArtSpark Community Centre in collaboration with Peer Bagh Films. The event, organised by screenwriter Shuja Uddin and hosted by Peerbagh founder Upasna Kakroo, brought together several prominent community members.
Former Pakistan national cricket team pacer Jalal Uddin, who bowled the first-ever hat trick, drove down with his family from Houston to attend. Also present were Shahid Iqbal, founder of the Rung Film Festival in Houston, and filmmakers Asad Kirmani, Devon Foster, and Matt Rifley, founders of Austin Indie Fest.
The film cuts across sectors, appealing to those in the sciences as well as the arts. The Austin audience included Nabeel Khan, a professor of Computer Information Sciences at Austin Community College. He sees the filmmaker’s foray into rural areas as “a Gandhi-like focus on the not-so-rich and not-so-powerful.”
“The scenes depicting village life are devoid of any sentimentality and build a powerful visceral context in which the lives of the ordinary Sri Lankans play out,” he told Sapan News.
In Chicago, Leslie Davis, an impact investing consultant and a friend of Sarwar’s from their college days at Brown University in the 1980s, organised a screening at the secular and inclusive church she attends, the First Unitarian. The engaged audience included local members of the congregation, Indian graduate students, and Pakistani origin physicians Shireen and Afzal Ahmad, founders of the South Asia Institute, a unique art gallery and performance space in Chicago. Senior journalist Mayank Chhaya, originally from Ahmedabad with links to Sri Lanka, moderated and contributed to a discussion after the film, further deepening the conversation about democracy and economic challenges in the region.
Across the Atlantic, Coventry University, UK, hosted a screening at the Centre for Peace and Security, at their Monthly Governance, Leadership, and Trust meeting in early September, followed by a discussion with global democracy experts from around the world, headed by theory expert Dr. Duru Imrie-Kuzu and peace mediator Dr. Jan Pospisil. The audience included an international cohort of staff members and doctoral researchers, from Turkey, Columbia, Palestine, England, Scotland, Ireland, India, and South Africa, working globally on themes related to democracy. Human geographer Dr. Serena Hussain and doctoral researcher Vishal Sharma of Sapan also facilitated the event.
“The discussion emphasised the film’s relevance beyond Sri Lanka and the importance of showcasing it to policymakers,” Sharma told Sapan News.
The film was screened in Karachi at The Second Floor, with around a 100 people in the audience and discussants including the prominent economist Dr. Kaiser Bengali. An impromptu gathering at the prestigious Canvas Gallery drew a 50-strong crowd.
“People were so engaged that no one even rushed for the lovely tea that had been provided,” said Beena Sarwar, appreciating the thoughtfulness of host Sameera Raja.
In Islamabad, the film was shown at the nonprofit discussion space, The Black Hole, a project of Mashal Books. Panellists at the discussion, moderated by physicist and peace activist Dr. A. H. Nayyar, featured former Senator Farhatullah Babar, Dr Ali Salman, Executive Director, Policy Research Institute of Market Economy and Dr. Noor Fatima of the International Islamic University Islamabad. Exploring parallels between Pakistan’s debt trap and Sri Lanka’s situation, they delved into the specific economic and governance issues that both countries face.
As the film is shared across continents with the Global Community Screenings, it is emerging as a mirror that reflects the challenges and triumphs of democratic governance — not just in Sri Lanka but wherever democracy is under threat.
Pragyan Srivastava is an Indian journalist and former Fulbright-Nehru Master’s scholar at Rutgers University. With extensive experience in digital storytelling, social media, and television production, she is passionate about creating authentic and powerful stories about Southasia*, aiming to foster understanding and connection through compelling narratives.
LEAD IMAGE: Screening at The Second Floor (T2F), Karachi, Pakistan. Photo by Beena Sarwar
This is a Sapan News syndicated feature available for republication with due credit http://www.sapannews.com.
Note on Southasia as one word : Like Himal Southasian, we use ‘Southasia’ as one word, “seeking to restore some of the historical unity of our common living space, without wishing any violence on the existing nation states”.
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