Phoolan Devi, the Bandit Queen, is a legendary and controversial figure of contemporary India, although virtually unknown to European audiences.
Her exemplary story of a warrior woman, forced against her will to take up arms, offers us the opportunity to address the theme of the power of rebellion and violence; and here above all, since it is a woman, the aspect of sexual violence stands out, and Phoolan’s action as a voice of female courage where oppression has reduced man to silence.
Today we propose to renew the memory of this young girl forced to take up arms, recognizing the usefulness of recounting that predestination to pain and that vindication of individual and collective rights that also has deep roots in the epic of our culture.
