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8 years, 10 months ago - Sue Carpenter

Hi all, My first post! This is for those who are passionate about the power of film to spark change / women's equality - I guess all of us! I've been working for 3 years on my first documentary feature (I Am Belmaya, www.belmaya.com) following the transformational journey of a feisty young Nepali woman who is training in filmmaking to take charge of her story and her life. I met her when she was 14, in 2006, when I taught photography to her and a group of disadvantaged girls in a home in Pokhara. The results were amazing and she was keen to become a photographer, but when I left, the organisation stopped the project. Belmaya left, married an abusive husband and fell into poverty again. I found her in 2014, when she started the filmmaking training. She was just making great progress, reclaiming her voice, when the devastating earthquakes brought everything to a halt.

I am now returning to Nepal to finish production, most crucially to help Belmaya complete her graduation film about education for girls through the prism of her lost childhood and her hopes for her 4 year old daughter. I've self-funded everything so far, but now I need to raise funds for this trip and a top-notch editor, so I can complete this film and Belmaya's! The ultimate aim is for the film to have a strong social impact, changing attitudes in Nepal, championing women's rights and empowerment, and raising money for key partner charities.

Please check out the teaser https://vimeo.com/suecarpenter/belmaya1min
and my crowdfund campaign www.gofundme.com/belmaya

I'd love to hear your comments and would be grateful for anything you can contribute. Please share!
Thank you!
Sue