While the world still deals with a very different sort of crisis, eventually the focus will (and has to) return to the waves of refugees coming to Europe and other places in the world. Images of the conditions in refugee camps from all around the world highlight the at times lack of hygiene, the boredom and the inhuman treatment people have to endure for an uncertain period of time. Establishing a daily routine and meeting one's individual needs become challenges in these places which is at the core of Ragini Bhasin's short feature “Ghazaal” which already screened at many international film festivals.
“Ghazaal” is screening at Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles
For a long time now, the family of a young girl named Ghazaal (Ghazaal Khirandesh) has been living in a refugee camp. Because the daily routine inside the camp demands every member of the family to do their part, Ghazaal's daily chores include taking care of her brothers and gathering food for the family. At the same time, the beginning of her monthly period brings along other challenges, consisting mainly of hiding it from others while also trying to find ways of maintaining personal hygiene.
During the roughly 15 minutes of her thesis film, Bhasin and DOP Connor Vickers provide a very personal and humanistic story of life under extreme circumstances. While the images of refugee camps as seen in the media remain somewhat abstract and detached at times, the story of Ghazaal bridges that gap to ward the viewer, focusing on a need to feel comfortable and stay clean. In this regard, the central performance by the young actors support this approach through their naturalistic and believable performances.
At the same time, as Bhasin has mentioned in interviews about the film, the story also emphasizes a taboo topic. Considering the already stressful situation of the refugee camp, the bodily needs, how to hide what is culturally regarded as unclean, become more than just a personal challenge, but result in the task of not being noticed.
As a result, “Ghazaal” is a very personal and humanistic tale about life in a refugee camp. Through the actor's performances and a very sensitive visual approach, Ragini Bhasin's film becomes a story that underlines the conditions refugees live in and their daily challenges.
