Non-Fiction | 80 min | Hindi, Gujrati, Manipuri, English | 2024 | Dir. Leena Manimekalai
IWNKQ is a hybrid documentary that follows Bhoomi, a young female wrestler, whose life is intercepted by the voices of four determined women that pierce through the deep-rooted foundations of patriarchy and echo resistance in their journey for justice and healing. Bilkis Bano–a poor Muslim mother raped during Gujarat’s anti-muslim pogrom; Bhanwari Devi–a dalit grassroot worker from Rajasthan sexually assaulted by oppressor caste men for daring to stop a child marriage; Soni Sori–a primary school teacher from tribal Chhattisgarh framed as a Maoist and subjected to custodial rape; Manorama–a weaver from Manipur raped and killed by the 17th Assam Rifles, an Indian Paramilitary Unit under the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA).
As Bhoomi wrestles with the reality of rampant sexual abuse in sports, she reflects on how these resilient women transformed from being rape survivors to symbols of grit and hope, battling societal silence and media narratives surrounding their protests. Embarking on her long awaited career, Bhoomi makes the difficult yet obvious choice. Armed by the voices of the survivors, Bhoomi adds to the chorus of “I Will Not Keep Quiet”.