Abstract:

Directed by Monika Baker for the Arts Council of England. "Although her powerful images of India have been seen around the world, Homai Vyarawalla's name never appears in the annals of photojournalism. Her professional identity, Dalda 13, derives from her birth in 1913, her marriage at thirteen, and the license plate on her first car which was DLD 13. In a country where women were submissive, Ms. Vyarawalla was toting a large camera on her sari draped shoulder, always pushing to where the action was. Her photographs documented the death of Gandhi, the visits of international dignitaries such as Ho Chi Minh, Queen Elizabeth, and Jackie Kennedy. She shares her impressions of the luminaries she photographed. Although her first photographs were published under her husband's name, she soon became recognized as a familiar presence on the front line of events. After retirement she burned all her negatives, believing no one was interested. This film, a long overdue tribute, suggests she was overlooked because she was Asian and a woman."