We are delighted to announce UK public screenings of ‘Her Name Was Sita’ – a short documentary exploring womanhood, virtue, shame, and suicide in Nepal.
Two showings have been arranged for Bristol and Glasgow, on Wednesday 28 February and Friday 1 March. The film screenings will be accompanied by a discussion with filmmaker Heshani Sothiraj Eddleston, alongside public health researchers.
In Nepal, suicide is the single leading cause of death among women of reproductive age. It is a serious but neglected public health problem. ‘Her Name Was Sita’ explores the concept of a virtuous woman and how shame and honour can lead to self-harm and suicide in Nepal.
Who is a good woman? A young Nepali woman asks this question to herself, school children, university students, social scientists, and medical doctors. Her exploration leads her to understand that in some situations, female suicide is believed to be a response to socially accepted oppression and abuse, which women are subjected to in their families and communities. She discovers that, in low and middle-income countries particularly, suicide is not always a mental health problem. It is a layered issue that can overlap between mental distress caused by stressful situations, conflict, grief, and mental health problems.
The Bristol screening will take place at the M Shed on Wednesday 28 February, 18:00 – 19:30, hosted in partnership with the University of Bristol’s Suicide and Self-harm Research Group.
Book your place at the Bristol screening
The Glasgow screening will take place on Friday 1 March, 14:00 – 15:30, at the Gallery of Modern Art, hosted in partnership with Glasgow Life.
Book your place at the Glasgow screening
The screenings are free to attend but will contain content on suicide and self-harm that some people may find upsetting. They are not suitable for younger audiences.
‘Her Name Was Sita’ is dedicated to a 16-year-old girl who died trying to prove she was worthy of love.
If you have questions on self-harm or feel suicidal, use this link to find an international helpline – https://findahelpline.com/