Because We Are Girls (2019) User Reviews

Heartbreaking!

[tempted_rebel · 7/10 · 3 August 2021]

Not only am I disgusted with the person who did this to these poor girls but the parents were equally disgusting, not doing anything to help!!

Emotional Journey

[neelambhella · 10/10 · 9 May 2019]

Peeling the layers of an onion as you cry . This is the best way I can describe this film. So much discussion can be had after you watch this. I see it firstly as an immigrant story of survival to make a life in Canada. I see happiness , I see absolute despair and dysfunction. I see bravery , I see hope . So many emotions. Please try to watch this film .

Deeply emotional and raw

[sharonkasbia · 9/10 · 7 September 2020]

This must have been a hard Film to watch. But kudoos to the sisters for coming out. More women need to confront this ugly truth within some families. The real boogeyman is the family pervert.

A film to inspire gratitude

[E Canuck · 9/10 · 7 June 2019]

Now that I've seen the film, I can only say I feel proud and grateful. I'm proud of and grateful to the three Pooni sisters for sharing their story in this film, proud of the director, Baljit Sangra's work, and of Canada's National Film Board, for producing it. It's a beautiful, moving film. The three sisters are such a lovely example of women's caring for each other and for others. At the screening I attended in Vancouver hosted by Reel Causes they participated in a post-film Q&A with the director and a rep from the charitable beneficiary of the screening, Family Services of Greater Vancouver. I'm also grateful to my parents for never making me feel less important to them for being female. In so many families, not all of them from other places in the world, this isn't always the case. The particular screening I attended was a mostly female audience and all I can say is the men missed out tonight.

From the opening frames, I realized this wasn't the kind of film I was expecting it to be. In some aspects, it's a quintessentially Canadian or North American immigrant family story. The early narrative helps draw us into this Punjabi-Canadian family's situation when the sisters were young, including the prejudice and shaming they faced for being in a visible minority. Steeled for details of sexual abuse that were almost entirely absent from the film, I saw and heard instead a tale of three girls becoming women in a challenging set of circumstances. How they love each other and what they do with those circumstances is inspiring, not depressing, though you can expect to be moved to tears at times.

Speechless

[seemikhan-96424 · 10/10 · 11 October 2020]

I don't think I've cried this much in a long time.The horror they went through and then to just see what they had to go through once the parents found out is so heartbreaking .They had absolutely no fault in this and yet they bore the consequences and yet still turned out to be such beautiful,inspiring,and sincere. You can just see how genuine each sister is.I don't know them but each time one cried I couldn't help but cry too.Im so glad they had one another and pray they find the peace and happiness they deserved from day one !As a mother of 2 girls,one dreams of raising them with this much courage and strength. They are truly inspirational!

Heart breaking! 💔

[amanchdhry · 10/10 · 6 September 2020]

I just witnessed your painful account of abuse and lack of support from your own family. You girls are true warriors and I've never felt so ashamed of our culture before (although this happens in every culture!) but we only ought to defend our's and similarly can blame our's too. I am so so sorry for everything you girls went through and I just hope things get better for you. He will rot in hell if not in Jail!! Lots of love and hugs xxxx

WOW!

[thecoolbonnie · 10/10 · 21 September 2020]

I just happened by this on accident while browsing documentaries....I cried and cried and CRIED for these girls! The raw emotion tore at my heart. The bond these sisters share possibly saved their sanity. I truly hope they have gone on to lead happy, and healthy lives.

Must see for doc fans

[msxwilliams · 10/10 · 2 April 2021]

This is a totally devastating, and unbelievably curated, recollection of a truly horrific trauma. There are scenes that are so sincerely raw and investigative, in terms of family reaction/confrontation, it has garnered a full 100% recommendation from my critical ass.

Powerful

[creeolee-07336 · 10/10 · 12 September 2020]

Must admit, I am a documentary junkie...this one just made the top of my list. 3 strong women, powerful voices and a glimpse into a culture I knew little about. These girls deserved better. Excellent documentary.

My sisters!

[sanjaysharma-462-204992 · 10/10 · 14 July 2021]

Your story... Ur are warriors.

Helping many with your voice.

I hope we can meet one day.

I'm very proud of you!

Every Sikh/Panjabi Household needs to watch this

[nkbhfyg · 10/10 · 24 July 2021]

This film is long overdue. The horrors that Panjabi Sikh girls have and are still experiencing have been spotlighted in this raw, honest and heartbreaking documentary.

I want to express my heartfelt thanks to each sister for baring their pain in the way that they have so that others do not have to suffer in silence like they did

A masterpiece.

Emorional and so powerful

[molinavalerie-84555 · 10/10 · 8 January 2021]

These 3 women are so inspiring to any victims who may find it hard to come forward on what ever abuse they maybe going enduring. Their will to speak up is so powerful, I cried watching it. Being a victim myself I have to say I am so moved by how they were able to confront their parents and keep that emotional support from within each other to get through this, very encouraging. This is was a great documentary and must watch!

such a great movie and im so glad i saw it

[uppal-60290 · 10/10 · 23 June 2021]

Its a hard film to watch but even harder to live through something like this . I understand because i went through rape /abuse by my brother in law and I lived with the shame and no one believing in me. Even when you speak out your own family disowns you and its a very lonely ,awful time to manage .This happened when i was 16 and it still effects me today at the age of 53 because their is no support out there and you learn to suffer in silence.

Thank you to the brave sisters that put this out there for the world to see what east Indian girls go through. No one understands the heartbreak ,depression,many failed suicide attempts but i hope by watching this movie they can understand a little of the pain.

Outstanding display of courage

[scarte3 · 10/10 · 19 January 2022]

What a raw depiction of the human experience and human emotion. You ladies are phenomenal! I hope this release of this film serves as a cathartic experience for you and that your bond with one another continues to sustain you. Thank you for courageously sharing yourselves and your story with us.

Strength and bravery

[CharlotteSometimez · 9/10 · 29 September 2020]

The sisters in this film showed incredible strength and bravery. Revealing what they went through will not only help them but so many others who are silent about their abuse. There is no shame in being a survivor of sexual assault. The only shame and blame in this film falls on the parents who did not protect and stand up for their daughters. Their nonchalant attitude about their abuse disgusted me, especially their father. Its this environment that allowed this abuse to happen. These girls were victims and had no blame in what happened. Shame on the father for insinuating they did.

A masterpiece but soo sad

[gurgulay · 10/10 · 21 February 2023]

This social issue is unfortunately present in many many global cultures and id horribly still rampant. Shame on those parents who do not deserve to be parents. The looks on their unfeeling faces and their lack of compassion broke my heart at the end. Animals have much more of an instinct to protect their young from all danger. I am devastated at having to face this issue once more, and to know that so many children are being and will continue to be abused by predators, and ignored by their parents and relatives, and the bigoted and cruel societies and cultures they are a part of.

Kudos to those warrior women! Their children should be very proud of them...

Unfortunate Indian Culture decides our fate

[p12ya · 10/10 · 30 April 2024]

I'm the eldest of 4 girls, seeing our Mum praying & pleading for a boy takes over my whole memory of our childhood. We had many restrictions that unfortunately took away my freedom to be myself, be confident in the world. To be left with that feeling of not being enough & to just fulfill a duty, take orders not give. Luckily with time us girls are now appreciated for our strength, courage & grace which was shut down. In the Indian culture being a girl is 1 of the hardest roles to fulfill. Be a good daughter, wife, daughter in-law & most importantly for any woman is be the best Mum you can be!!