Online film screening and panel discussion
"Asian Women & Cars: Road to Independence" celebrates the lives and experiences of first generation South Asian migrant women who learned to drive in the UK.
In this film, Artist Dawinder Bansal explores the relationships between the women, their cars and how driving enabled them to live richer lives. The work highlights the positive impact of these stories on future generations of British Asian women who now benefit from the sacrifices of the first generation who battled against patriarchy and traditional family structures to gain independence.
After the virtual screening there will be short panel discussion on Zoom with special guests of varying ages talking about driving and personal independence, particularly for South Asian women. Dawinder Bansal will host the discussion with invited special guests; Dr Geeta Ludhra - founder of Dadimas CIC, Bimla Devi with her granddaughter and BBC Television Presenter, Monika Plaha, Arifa Nasim - founder of Educate2Eradicate, will join with her mother, Fozia Nasim.
"This is the first time a project like this has ever been done in the UK. It’s a personal journey with inspiring older women who are often invisible pioneers in the South Asian community. I developed the idea after speaking with my aunt about her motivations to learn to drive. It enabled her to work three jobs while raising a family. A very personal conversation with my mother revealed her unfulfilled dreams of wanting to drive and why she pushed me to get my licence. This film is a tribute to the women who paved the way for younger generations of South Asian women to live independently"- Dawinder Bansal.
This project is produced by Dawinder Bansal