Streep to join Freida Pinto for U.S. premiere of "India's Daughter"

This news has been out for several days.  I typically don't post on topics unrelated to Streep's screen work, but after having watched India's Daughter, I felt compelled to share.  Meryl regularly lends her name to important topics and causes, and this is certainly no exception.  On Monday, she will join actress Freida Pinto for the U.S. premiere of this BBC documentary which addresses the social outcry following the brutal gang rape and murder of Indian medical student Jyoti Singh in the nation's capital of Delhi in 2012.

The film sheds light on the negative aspects of a deeply ingrained misogynistic cultural attitude, the awareness of which is paramount in addressing the importance of early and ongoing education.  It's a crying shame that it has taken the death of a promising, independent, young woman to shake a nation's status quo.  The message no doubt transcends nations and cultures, and I'm so glad Meryl has added her voice.

Although graphic and at times difficult to watch, it's under an hour in length and I encourage everyone to take a look. The film has unfortunately, although not surprisingly, been banned in India.  It was available on You Tube and then apparently removed due to copyright infringement, but I found it still accessible in the U.S. at the time of this posting.  I don't know how long it will stay up.

Streep pushes "India's Daughter" for Oscar

Meryl attended the official U.S. premiere of India's Daughter in New York City last night, suggesting it deserves to win an Academy Award.  Streep praised director Leslee Udwin saying "I'm on the campaign to get her nominated for Best Documentary."  The film had previously been privately screened this spring, where Meryl joined Freida Pinto in support.

The sobering film details the brutal 2012 gang rape and murder of Jyoti Singh, a physiotherapy student in Dehli.  I felt compelled to post about this film several months ago after after finding a link on YouTube before the Indian Government had it removed.  If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend taking an hour out of your day to watch.

Brava, Meryl.

Gloria Steinem, Meryl Streep & director Leslee Udwin