AsiaLENS: AEMS Documentary Film and Discussion Series at the Spurlock: Threads: The Art and Life of Surayia Rahman
- Event Date: Tuesday, October 18, 2016
- Time: 7:00 pm (CDT)
- Location: Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory St., Urbana, IL
- Cost: Free Admission
AsiaLENS is a series of free public film screenings and discussion programs—organized by the Asian Educational Media Service (AEMS) in collaboration with the Spurlock Museum—presenting recent documentary and independent films on issues reflecting contemporary life in Asia. Local and visiting experts introduce the films and lead audiences in post-screening discussions. This screening is co-sponsored by the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Spurlock Museum, University Library, and Asian American Cultural Center.
Threads: The Art and Life of Surayia Rahman
Directed by Cathy Stevulak
Produced by Cathy Stevulak and Leonard Hill
2015 / 30 minutes
In Bengali and English with English subtitles
A special pre-screening introduction by co-producer Leonard Hill will be presented by the Spurlock Museum Guild Lecture and Performance Series. Madhu Viswanathan, the Diane and Steven N. Miller Centennial Chair in Business, will lead a post-screening discussion with Leonard Hill.
Film Description
A self-trained and passionate artist, Surayia Rahman is an unconventional Bengali woman who frees herself, other women and families from poverty and social hardships, by guiding hundreds of underprivileged women in Bangladesh to create masterworks of exquisitely hand-embroidered art that has been gifted to dignitaries and admired in collections throughout the world.