The Cinematic Power of True Stories Books converted to Film - You can do it

5971 West 3rd Street,Los Angeles CA 90036

15 September, 2022

Description

Stories of triumph over adversity allow us to understand different people and places, inspire empathy, and empower us to believe in ourselves. That's probably why films, based on true life stories, have a special hold on our souls. Sholder, who accompanied me on a trip to India to scout locations for a film based on my life, fell in love with the spirit of India, where "the darkest and brightest parts of humanity exist." For this special event at the Rita House, Sholder will share my story through his cinematic eye. A Voice out of Poverty traces my rise from the slums of Calcutta to international standing as a prominent advocate for the poor and helpless in India. In his words: “Jillian Haslam’s improbable journey growing up in Calcutta is enormously compelling—a story almost too dramatic and improbable to believe, like something out of Dickens, yet true. Her inspirational tale of determination to not just survive but to flourish against all odds is tailor-made for the cinema, and I cannot think of a more worthy project to make happen.” I hope to see you there. A few high profile endorsements can be found below: “Enormously compelling ... like something out of Dickens, yet true. It has the power to move with an epic sweep, yet it is intensely personal. It is tailor-made for the cinema and I cannot think of a more worthy project to make happen!” —Jack Sholder, Hollywood Film Director, Nightmare on Elm Street II among other films “A Voice out of Poverty is riveting and essential reading. It authentically lifts the silence that hangs over the lives of the poor and the severe challenges and stigmas faced by British families who stayed in India after India’s independence. I’ve seen those conditions myself, and Jillian Haslam’s harrowing account is full of deep insight about the crushing ways in which gender discrimination, class, corruption, and injustice shape possibility. And yet, we are lifted by Haslam’s triumph when she forges the opportunity to succeed—only to bring others with her.” —Joanna Lumley, actress, TV producer, activist “Jillian Haslam’s inspirational memoir, A Voice out of Poverty, is a coming of age story of courage, survival and inner strength which illuminates the human condition in all its squalor and glory.” —Vikas Swarup, writer of Slumdog Millionnaire (Q & A) “Jillian Haslam’s story is one of the most harrowing and triumphant I have ever read. Just when you think things couldn’t get any more tragic, it does. One hardship after another, this woman had the fortitude to not just persevere, but to create a new standard of what it means to give back. Her stirring spirit is a beacon of much needed light in today’s world.” —Sheetal Sheth, actress, producer, author, activist