Irvin Colin
GS 362
4.29.19
Social Justice Colloquium
The keynote presentation by Rakhshan Banietemad was an enriching experience on many
levels. Not only is her work a form of activism for social justice and female empowerment, but the
simple act of documenting her reality for the world to see has a powerful impact in itself.
Regardless of the context, viewers are made aware of the hardships people have faced and are
currently facing in the impoverished communities of Iran. Poverty affects communities in nearly
every nation, not to mention the lack of governmental progress towards resolutions for the issue.
This shared struggle makes her films connect that much more to the audience and can promote
ideals of cosmopolitanism in viewers who aren’t Iranian but empathize with the suffering that her
films depict.
The medium of Rakhshan Benietemad’s activism is an important element of how it is
dispersed into the world. Film and cinema, while generally considered as a form of entertainment,
are great tools for spreading awareness that sometimes cannot be carried across in writing or
speaking. Because her message is heavily political, she could have easily been drawn to a more
literary or “official” approach, but some things can be rather difficult to consolidate into words.
However, due to her success, Benietemad is able to spread her message both through her films and
through her words with events like the Social Justice Colloquium. It is just as important for
students and members of CSUMB to be aware of issues happening across the world as it is for the
very citizens of Iran. If the local is ignorant to the issues their fellow communities are facing then
change will not me made.