Guila Clara Kessous: “The words of victims must be heard”

On the occasion of the World Day for the Fight Against Human Exploitation, the short film Woman on Rope will be presented on August 3rd next, at 7:30 PM, at the Mediterranean University Center. This creation by Aurélia Khazan embodied by Guila Clara Kessous embodies the meeting between art and commitment.

The World Day for the Fight Against Human Exploitation takes place on August 3rd next, at the Mediterranean University Center in Nice. For this occasion, a screening and a round table will be dedicated to discussing this global issue. Registration for this free evening closes tonight.

Awarded at Cannes, the world premiere of the short film, Woman on Rope (When Women Rise, Humanity Progresses) will be presented. This film was designed by UNESCO ambassador Guila Clara Kessous, named artist for peace in 2012, and directed by Aurélia Khazan. It was produced by Khen Than Nath. This short film highlights the journey of resilience and reconstruction of women facing exploitation and violence related to human trafficking.

This creation was born from a collaboration between director Aurélia Khazan and artist Guila Clara Kessous. Driven by causes dear to them, the UNESCO ambassador performed on the rope, under the benevolent gaze of the director. This short film transforms an artistic performance into a true act of commitment and education.

From a Personal Challenge to a Universal Symbol

Woman on Rope is the result of Guila Clara Kessous‘s reflection. “It was a personal challenge following my motherhood, I wanted to test my limits. As a child, they made fun of me in gym classes because I absolutely couldn’t climb the rope”, she shared. Six months after being trained, the ambassador managed to reach about thirty feet. “I said to myself, good heavens, if I succeed, all women can succeed regardless of what they think of their bodies.”

This story was born from this artist’s desire to add the dimension of the body to her commitment to human rights. This short film represents a woman’s ascension going through the key moments of the evolution of her rights, with advances but also setbacks. “Each hold is linked to a date, a place, with archives, and a position on the rope. For me, it is very important to show how women’s bodies are taken hostage in human trafficking”, assured the ambassador. Depending on the moments represented, the rope comes to bind the character’s body at the chest, belly, or between the thighs.

“I realized that I had managed to rely on my body to tell something“, declared Guila Clara Kessous. The ambassador described the sensation of the moment suspended on the rope. “I climb and I absolutely perform all the figures myself”, she revealed. She evoked the meaning of this risk taken: “it is in a certain way an allegory of all those women who try to keep the balance between their personal and professional lives, facing inequalities.”

The emotional dimension of this short film is of crucial importance. “This woman that I embody had to be neutral and above all reflect all women”, admitted Guila Clara Kessous. The performance must not overshadow the testimonies of women who reveal their pain. “On the ground, we realize that it is the voices of the victims that must be heard“, she stated.

For the UNESCO ambassador, artists have a responsibility under the name of “artivism“. This contraction between “artist” and “activist” is necessary since creatives have the ability to raise awareness in society about various issues. “It is a universal language that transcends borders, art has a responsibility which is to be a call for peace“, concluded Guila Clara Kessous.

When Cinema Becomes a Commitment

Sensitive to the cause of women, Aurélia Khazan set out to contribute at her level to the evolution of human rights: “That’s what I tried to defend in Woman on Rope.”

The director of the short film explained the passion that drives her when it comes to telling stories: “I love taking people through a lived experience and a character, so they too can experience this in their own way.” The audience’s freedom in interpreting the film is a crucial element for the director: “I wanted a poetic and metaphorical vision so that the viewer could themselves appropriate the evolutions and setbacks of women’s rights.”

The short film is punctuated by testimonies from women, particularly victims of atrocities in Congo. “We include real elements to provide food for thought“, declared Aurélia Khazan. Woman on Rope reveals the complexity of a world, between progressions and regressions. “It is of unspeakable violence to see that women can be undervalued, mistreated and martyrized“, the director lamented.

This audiovisual creation encourages viewers to reflect on the chronology of struggles for women’s rights. Facing the obstacles that women must still overcome today, Aurélia Khazan evokes collaborative feminism: “we need men to continue to fight these battles, the film pays tribute to the women and men who participated in these evolutions.” This film is an ode to human rights for all, whether for men or children.

Despite the road ahead, the short film gives hope. “I was deeply moved when people told me they were moved, even to tears at the end. I was trained in India and there is an Indian actor who says: Indian cinema is about leaving a movie theater with a tear on your cheek and a smile on your lips“, confided Aurélia Khazan.

Woman on Rope also tells a story of fraternity and sorority. “We live in a difficult time, in which it is complicated to find one’s place, but I believe there is always a possibility to make things concrete. I know it’s hard, but I believe that everyone has their place in the sun and that mutual aid is very important“, declared the director.