This film was available to stream from 15 - 25 October 2020 for all WOMEX 20 Digital Participants.
Directed by Maja Meiners
70 mins | Germany/India 2020 | English, Tamil with English subtitles
The Casteless Collective is a young protest music band from Chennai, South India, playing an eclectic mix of folk music and Gaana art coming from North Chennai’s slum area, together with modern musical styles of rap and rock. The driving force behind their music are social issues that Indian society prefers not to look at: the still existing caste discrimination, the ‘untouchables’, the oppression of women, LGBTQI+ people and those from underprivileged and marginalised backgrounds, as represented by the band members themselves.
Maja Meiners completed her masters in Modern Indian Studies at the University of Göttingen. Breaking Barriers is her directorial debut as well as her master thesis on protest music in South India. Currently based in Cologne, she is a freelancing radio author and is interning at a documentary production company.
Produced by Maja Meiners
Director of Photography Maja Meiners
Sound Maja Meiners
Editor Maja Meinerss
Music by The Casteless Collective
Film Contact Maja Meiners
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