Brocka's Tinimbang and forum on leprosy

Many people think that leprosy no longer exists. But it does. Many people think that leprosy is not curable, but it is.

Yet misguided notions about leprosy and discrimination against persons affected by leprosy persist. Even today, millions of men, women and children continue to suffer social, economic and legal discrimination, simply because they or a familymember have or have had leprosy.

Leprosy, among the world's oldest recorded diseases, still exists in many countries. But while less than 300,000 people develop leprosy each year, an estimated 100 million must deal with cruel discrimination because of their association with the disease, many spending their lives completely isolated from society.

On June 16, 2-5:30 pm at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Dream Theater, these issues will be discussed through a film showing and Forum on Leprosy and its Representations.

The forum starts at 2pm with a screening of Lino Brocka's Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang (1974, 35mm, 128 mins. Color Filipino with English subtitles), the late director's film that depicts the story of a young boy growing up in a small town and his friendship with the village idiot and a person affected by leprosy.

A panel discussion led by API fellows Nick de Ocampo (film) and Jess Santiago (music) and University of the Philippines professor Dr. Eufracio Abaya will follow the screening. Discussions will revolve around representations of leprosy in film and anthropological issues related to suffering and illnesses.

The forum is organized by Asian Public Intellectuals (API) Fellowship, which is administered by the Nippon Foundation, chaired by Yohei Sasakawa, the WHO Goodwill Ambassador for the Elimination of Leprosy.

The forum is a related activity of trauma, interrupted, an international exhibition on trauma, art and healing curated by API fellow and University of the Philippines professor Flaudette May V. Datuin. Exploring the links between art, healing and a range of traumas, including those brought about by stigma, illnesses, disasters, sexual abuse, and other forms of violence and human rights violations, the exhibit will be on show at CCP Main Gallery, Third and Fourth Floor hallways from June 14 to July 29, 2007, daily, from 10 am to 6pm, except Mondays and holidays. Admission to these activities is free and open to the public.

For particulars, please call 832 3702 and visit www.trauma-interrup ted.org