Ashura

The
Shia Islamic ceremony Ashura
(Ashoura) commemorates the
death of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad who was
killed as a martyr in the battle of Karbala
in the late 7th century A.D. Younger generations perceive this sacrificial
ceremony marked with blood and martyrdom as a rare opportunity to gather and even
for seduction. The camera lens captures this game of seduction, revealing the
adopted sexual roles and expectations which perceive women (merely) as objects
in the eyes of men/predators. This documentary video illuminates how old
traditions assume new roles and the resistance against the deeprooted family
law which in many aspects still determines the lives of younger generations
through institutions such as arranged marriages and patrilineal inheritance.

Organized by: City of Women
In collaboration with: Alkatraz Gallery
With the support of: Roberto Cimetta Fund