The Magdalene Sisters Here's a review of the film The Magdalene Sisters, that I wrote for the organisation's monthly enewsletter, some months back. It was a film that moved me in many ways...
Anyway, here's the review:

The Magdalene Sisters

Directed By: Peter Mullan

Many have pointed fingers at this film and accused it of being anti-Catholic and downright offensive.

Set in the 1960s, in a shelter run by the Magdalene Sisters, the Irish Catholic order of Mary Magdalene, the film portrays the brutalities faced by the girls sent there. Shunned by their families and accused of ‘sinful’ behaviour, often unfairly, the girls are forced onto the ‘right’ path through an inflexible regimen of manual labour, prayer, isolation from the outside world and an almost prison-like diet. Meanwhile, the nuns feast at every meal, keep the money earned from the girls’ labour, humiliate the girls and close an eye as the priests force the girls to give them blowjobs.

Many have accused The Magdalene Sisters of being anti-Catholic and downright offensive. But what the film actually does, is, it takes a look at the strict patriarchal code of morality that society imposes upon women and exposes the rot beneath the seemingly pristine exterior of human institutions of organised religion. It makes us even more aware than we already are, of the cruel reality that is life and the constant fight against patriarchal opinions and impositions.

As I tried to relate the film to Singapore society, and listened to the comments made by the others in the theatre at the end of the film, something hit me. It struck me that the blatant cruelty and misery portrayed in the film might actually have the undesired effect of inspiring a false sense of complacency among viewers. Most sighed as they left the theatre, all agreeing that the film was excellent, very sad, and even disturbing; an alarming number added that they were glad that they weren’t living then and that everything is so different now, now that there’s no discrimination against women.

That made me think. Yes, I agree that discrimination may seem less blatant in Singapore. Although abuse does take place, it’s less talked about and perhaps to the average Singaporean, it might seem that all’s well since there don’t seem to be shelters that are actually sweatshops. The danger that a film like The Magdalene Sisters could do to the individual who already thinks that gender injustice is a thing of the past, is to reinforce this and lull him or her into a further sense of complacency. Everything seems alright, so it must be.

Or it could go the other way and make him or her think about the ugly head of patriarchy which although seemingly non-existent, could have simply learnt to be more discreet.

Excellently acted, directed and filmed, The Magdalene Sisters is definitely a film worth watching. It’s realistic and carries a very strong message. The most chilling part is the realisation that it all happened. And that it continued to happen till the last Magdalene Sisters shelter was shut in 1996.The events portrayed were based on the true-life accounts of the three central characters and at the end of the film, viewers find out what happened to all three of them.






  ¶ 5:24 pm

  I was home for 2 1/2 weeks, just got back. Went for a fantabulous 10 days to Wayanad, Kerala. Stayed in a spa resort set in the midst of forests, set in a mountain.Needless to say, it was sheer beauty and a wonderful experience. Climbed 4000 ft above sea level to check out a cave that has been named a World History Site and is a world-famous archeological study centre. It was amazing - Edakkal Caves carries inscriptions and etchings that date back to the Stone Age and apart from that, the view from up there is spectacular!

Also went to Thirunelly Temple, a Vishnu temple that is pretty well-known. It is also set in the midst of forest and is a quaint stone structure with lovely flowering creepers covering the top. Right behind it flows the Paapanashi Pozha(River) which is supposed to take away all your sins if you bathe in it. I got into it and washed my face so I guess I'm now at least partly sin-free!

Legends aside, it's a special place. As in most Kerala temples, the sanctity was palpable. We walked from the temple to the river behind and it was amazing. Imagine walking into a lush forest and seeing a rocky path the seems to lead straight into it. You know that the river is supposed to be in that direction, so you walk towards it. Up and up the rocky path, being very careful so that the sharp edges of the rocks don't cut your feet, wondering where this river is, and suddenly, you look up, to your left and behind a rock, you see the most amazing sight - a clear river (actually its more like a biggish stream) gushing out, straight from the forest! It flows down over huge rocks, forming a pool as it goes past you. You step in, gingerly, expecting the rocks to be slimy and surprise!surprise! - they're not in the least slimy. They're every bit as rocky and rocks on land are. So you take the next step, bolder now. And soon you're calf-deep in cold, crisp water. Bending down, you cup the water in your palms, admiring its biting cold, its clarity. Douse your face with it and gasp in shock - it feels even colder to the sensitive skin on your face. You stand in there, your feet slowly freezing over, the rest of you cloaked in a crisp, brisk wind, your eyes soaking in the scene before you. You take a deep breathful of the clean, cold air and fervently wish that you never had to get out. That you didn't have to get back to bustling cities, to bitchy people, to mind-numbing work.

The serenity, the calm, stillness of the forest, combined with the gurgles of the stream, was therapeutic.

Those were my 2 favourite bits of the whole trip. Vythri resorts itself was a dream - lovely place, beautiful landscaping and out-of-this-world service. Oh and the desserts....pure yum!!!
  ¶ 5:20 pm