Documentary ‘The Divine Order’

Islamabad :

Director-Screenwriter: Petra Volpe

The UN-EU Human Rights Film Festival in collaboration with the Embassy of Switzerland and Pakistan National Council of the Arts, brings documentary film ‘The Divine Order’ in PNCA on December 10, 2018. It is part of celebrating Human Rights through Cinematography this year.

Directed by Petra Volpe in 2017, it deals with the status of women in society. The film is based around the life of a Swiss housewife leaving in a village. As the film moves on, we see her active participation in women's suffrage in 1971 referendum. She is able to win liberation in the 1970s Switzerland.

Women in Switzerland struggled to win voting right in 1971. Ironically, the man could still ( up to 1985) prevent wife from working. This is then the account of a woman who finds her voice. She represents women who were never ever remembered in the past. She has lived a simple life with her stubborn uncompromising husband, two sons and father-in-law. She still wears headscarves. When she wants to go back to a job, her husband tells her that they should have a third child. She does not want to be liberated but with budget constraints, she would not have her boys forever eat tin food. And when she goes out, she joins a widow to campaign for Yes vote. This also become sub-plot throwing light on friendship and bondage. The two women head for Zurich for protest. According to men, the women are a threat to status quo.

Switzerland is mostly known for cuckoo clocks, cheese, chocolate, banking, sports on snow and neutrality. Universal franchise was not part of the milieu. The film brings laughter (coming from supporting characters) but inspiration and heartbreaking go hand in hand. Anyone and everyone who goes for equality would love this mix. This is hard struggle for social change. We don't see larger-than-life politicians and leaders making false claims (or promises) but an ordinary mother. In one scene, talking to her sons, she explains them the order of life. Since ocean fish has never seen daylight. The fish has no idea what it is missing out. After all, one cannot miss what one has never had.

‘The Divine Order’ is jewel which bring back the Switzerland of the seventies and how the world changed for which credit mostly goes to women.

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