Writer's Statement

In August of 2003, I became involved with a documentary film about a community of prostitutes living in rural India. That film, Highway Courtesans, introduced me to a world I knew nothing about. I started as the editor and later went to India to shoot the final act of the film. While there I met Guddi and Shana Chauhan, the two young women who are the main subjects of the documentary. As I got to know them, I was impressed with their spirit, resilience and love of life—qualities that were in direct conflict with my assumption that all sex workers are miserable. As the project developed and I came to intimately know their world, I began to feel that their richly textured stories would make a compelling narrative script. So I commenced to write Preeti Girl, a story inspired by the lives of Guddi and Shana Chauhan. I use the word 'inspired' because I've taken the stories of their lives and the village where they live and interspersed fictional elements to tell a bigger story about sex workers, social workers and communities that maintain controversial traditions. The film will be an intimate portrait of one girl trying to realize her own desires for change while dealing with those in her community who don't understand or respect her ambitions. Stylistically I envision a humanist film that lyrically unfolds to reveal the beauty of Preeti's community in contrast with the socially complex traditions practiced there. As part of the ongoing development of the project, I will be returning to India soon to meet with Guddi and Shana again. The authenticity of their stories and their world is very important to me, and I will continue to collaborate with them to assure that this truth is maintained. The script, which is written in English, will eventually be translated and the film shot in Hindi. If you'd like to find out more information about Preeti Girl and the current status of the project, please email preeti@champura.com. - Todd Holmes