Write a short summary of what happens in the film

This film showcases an intimate moment between mothers and their young daughters. Various mothers across India are seen braiding their daughters’ hair. These are a few minutes that they get in a day, completely alone with each other. The mothers are giving their daughters the most important lesson of strength. They are asking their daughters to become stronger than them. They are telling her their own weaknesses and asking her to not just overcome them, but to go way beyond them. They are teaching the girls to be fearless, to have the courage to say no, to stand on their own two feet, to do everything their mother was too afraid to do. They are braiding their daughters’ strong hair and raising the daughter to be strong. Stronger than the society, and stronger than herself.

Cultural / Context information for the jury

A GENERATION GIRLS GROWING UP TO PASS ON THE DNA OF WEAKNESS. The reality in India is that girls are born strong but raised weak due to patriarchal society. This is feflective in gender Inequality Index ranked 127; 26% female workforce participation among the lowest worldwide and finally school enrolment statistics where 40% of girls aged 15+ don’t go to school (https://timesofindia.com/india). We see this apathetic state because girl child in India is raised to be second citizens of this country. From childhood they are indoctrinated into a belief that they have no voice, no freedom and have constantly live as slaves. Households across India display gender prejudices where male gender is given the license to study, play and do what they please as compared to girls who live in shackles. It was important for girls to grow up strong than grow up thinking they are weak.