The Unfreedom Team

The Unfreedom Team has launched a human rights movement called #Unfreedom and now are standing up for the freedom of speech and expression with a legal fight, a petition and active protest screenings across India.

Our Goals

  • Hold FREE Private screenings at colleges, art houses and community centers with the help of a grassroots network of supporters. The screenings will be small and large events led by organizations or motivated individual promoters.
  • Win the Legal Fight against the ban on Unfreedom
  • Lead the public in a peaceful protest against Censorship in India

About Unfreedom the Movie

UNFREEDOM is an urgent contemporary thriller about a society torn apart by political, religious, and sexual turmoil. Shifting between New York and New Delhi, the film juxtaposes two powerful and unflinching stories about religious fundamentalism and intolerance, one of which follows a Muslim terrorist attempting to silence a liberal Muslim scholar, while the other is about a young woman who defies her devout father and escapes an arranged marriage because she is secretly embroiled in a taboo lesbian romance. In this searing portrait of the polarized world we live in, all four characters go to their absolute limit—and beyond—in their struggle to defend their deeply-held and conflicting viewpoints on freedom, faith, family and love.

Renown actors (Victor Banerjee, Adil Hussain) and technicians (Resul Pookutty, Hari Nair, Wayne Sharpe) read the script and chose to work on this film because of the ideas contained within the story. They spent years working with the writer/director to plan and carry out every detail of the film. That same story is what the Indian Government is pointing it’s finger at and stating that it is unfit for the Indian people to view.

Unfreedom is not just a piece of dramatic entertainment, but instead an important work that should begin tough, but important dialogs, discussions, debates around questions of religious identity, sexual identity, and violence.

Censorship is WRONG and UNCONSTITUTIONAL

Censorship of films in India is done by a bunch of panelists who decide what is acceptable for the 1.2 Billion people of India to watch. The decisions they make are opinions based on a set of guidelines that are unconstitutional. They tell artists what is acceptable to show the audience. This is the opposite of freedom of speech and expression.

Petition, Screenings and Rally against censorship

The Unfreedom Team is making several moves to fight the censorship of all films in India. We have filed a High Court case against the Censors decision which also attacks the overall institution of Censorship in India. We have also started an online petition and a grassroots petition campaign in India. Also, by reaching out to organizations, we have been able to hold private, and educational, screenings and discussions in several cities in India. And we have put into motion a plan for holding multiple screenings in many cities across India and the US.

HOW can YOU HELP?

  • Donate - Click the Donate Button and explore the options. You will find options as little as a dollar up to our largest “Thank You” Package. Every click counts.
  • WE CAN ONLY HOLD THESE SCREENINGS OF UNFREEDOM WITH THE HELP OF YOUR DONATIONS AND SUPPORT
  • Host or Organize a Screening - If you don't see a screening near you, ask us how we can set one up in your area. Everything is based on demand. If you think a discussion on ‘how the religious and gender identities in our world affect society’ or ‘how violence plays a role in identity’ would be interesting and relevant to you or people in your area, let us know and we will arrange a screening near you.

Spread the Word - Click Like, Share and Follow on all Unfreedom and #Unfreedom Social media links. Tell your friends or start your own discussions about the rights of artists. Share the weblink for this page and encourage others to get involved.

Attend a Screening / Discussion - Check our playlist and see if there is a screening event happening near you. Or listen to a podcast. Or join in one of the Google Hangout Debates.

What will we do with Contributions?

Donations will go to the logistics and management of the free screenings in a number of cities across India. For every dollar donated, the Unfreedom Team is closer to having another eye opening discussion or debate in a culture where the government has decided that change is not good for them.

Why NON-INDIANS should contribute

We are all a part of a global society. When human rights are withheld from anyone in our world, it affects us all. Think of it as doing the right thing or making a unified stand for artists and audiences everywhere. The only way to make a change in our world is to unify. The Internet allows us to share our ideas and conversations with each other. Imagine being censored from having a discussion.

You have a chance to make a difference just by sharing, clicking, donating and or attending a screening.

Contribute Now

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Signing the petition is free. Sharing the links is easy.

Help spread the word about the Unfreedom Movement. When you promote the message to your network, you are giving a voice to an important struggle for basic human rights everywhere.

Sign the Petition and you will be a part of the Unfreedom Movement.

Donating just one dollar will help in our march toward the larger goals.

Every donation counts and with this level of contribution we will put you on our Unfreedom Movement Update List. As events unfold around the film, the fight against censorship and the protest events, debates and screenings, we will send you updates and keep you in the loop for the big steps the Unfreedom Team is taking with our Unfreedom Emailer.

Donate five dollars! It really helps.

In addition to the Unfreedom Emailer updates, you can expect a pre-recorded thank you video and a HI-Resolution download of the Unfreedom film poster digitally autographed by the director.

Your contribution will make the difference.

Congratulations! UNFREEDOM ONLINE SCREENING!

You will receive a link and password to view a one-time Special Screening of the Movie.

Watch the film and see what the debate is all about. With this donation you will be able to join in the discussion and there will be opportunities to ask your questions to the Director via email and possibly a Google Hangout Event!

Also for your generosity, we will give you all tiers above:
1. HI-Resolution download of the Unfreedom film poster digitally autographed by the director.
2. Pre-Recorded Thank you Video
3. Unfreedom Emailer Subscription

Paying it forward.

Global Discussions are possible when you donate fifteen dollars or more. With your contribution we will pay it forward to the private screening audiences in India. As long as the film is banned, there will be no public screenings. But as we raise the funds we will be hosting private events. We will not be selling tickets to the event, which means we will be paying for the venue, logistics and management of the screenings.

That's where your contribution helps. With every fifteen dollar donation we will link your donated ticket to someone on our waitlist.

You will have the option to meet with them in our chat room after their screening event and have a discussion with them if you choose. Or you can just know you are opening discussion for at least one person who might not have been able to see the film otherwise.

Without contributions from individual and organizations, the Unfreedom Movement s a limited discussion. With your help, we can take these important topics to the streets, to the people and to the government.

Also, for your generosity, we will give you all tiers above:
1. Unfreedom Onetime Online Screening
2. HI-Resolution download of the Unfreedom film poster digitally autographed by the director.
3. Pre-Recorded Thank you Video
4. Unfreedom Emailer Subscription

Unfreedom Soundtrack

A lot of care and collaboration has gone into the powerful music behind Unfreedom.

For twenty five dollars you will receive a download of the complete album of the original soulful music tracks, composed by Wayne Sharp & Jesse Kotansky.

Also, for your generosity, we will give you all tiers above:
1. Pay It Forward Ticket Opportunity
2. Unfreedom Onetime Online Screening
3. HI-Resolution download of the Unfreedom film poster digitally autographed by the director.
4. Pre-Recorded Thank you Video
5. Unfreedom Emailer Subscription

Unfreedom DVD

Forty Dollars! You will receive your own official copy of the Unfreedom DVD, complete with DVD artwork and the Director will sign your copy.

Also, for your generosity, we will give you all tiers above:
1. Original Unfreedom Soundtrack composed by Wayne Sharp & Jesse Kotansky
2. Pay It Forward Ticket Opportunity
3. Unfreedom Onetime Online Screening
4. HI-Resolution download of the Unfreedom film poster digitally autographed by the director.
5. Pre-Recorded Thank you Video
6. Unfreedom Emailer Subscription

Unfreedom Bonus DVD Collection and a #Unfreedom Movement T-Shirt

Donate seventy five dollars and you will get the full DVD version with EXTRAS, including the Director's commentary, Deleted Scenes, Cast and Crew Interviews, Behind the Scene footage and much more. AND the Director and a Cast Member of your choice will autograph your copy.

And you will also receive an Official #Unfreedom T-shirt in any size you choose.

Also, for your generosity, we will give you all tiers above:
1. Original Unfreedom Soundtrack composed by Wayne Sharp & Jesse Kotansky
2. Pay It Forward Ticket Opportunity
3. Unfreedom Onetime Online Screening
4. HI-Resolution download of the Unfreedom film poster digitally autographed by the director.
5. Pre-Recorded Thank you Video
6. Unfreedom Emailer Subscription

Full Size Theatrical Poster signed by the Director and a Cast Member of your choice

Contribute one hundred dollars and you will get an autographed copy of the theatrical poster. The Director and the Cast Member of your choice will sign your poster. Makes for a great story.

Not to mention you are helping the Unfreedom Team hold important screenings and discussions all across India.

Also, for your generosity, we will give you all tiers above:
1. Unfreedom Bonus DVD Collection with Director and Cast Member signature
2. Official #Unfreedom T-shirt in any size you choose
3. Original Unfreedom Soundtrack composed by Wayne Sharp & Jesse Kotansky
4. Pay It Forward Ticket Opportunity
5. Unfreedom Onetime Online Screening
6. HI-Resolution download of the Unfreedom film poster digitally autographed by the director.
7. Pre-Recorded Thank you Video
8. Unfreedom Emailer Subscription

Sponsor a Screening! Amazing.

Pledging enough to fund an entire screening is more than generous, it is actively changing the game.

When you Sponsor a Screening, we are able to leap ahead and begin the planning for an event. You will be our guest of honor and will be given the opportunity to address the whole audience before the screening (Skype if unavailable for attendance). We will also make sure everyone knows that you are the sponsor and you or your company will be mentioned in our press, social media and all advertisement of the event.

Also, for your generosity, we will give you all tiers above:
1. 3 Copies of the Unfreedom Bonus DVD Collection with Director and Cast Member signature
2. 3 Official #Unfreedom T-shirt in any size you choose
3. 3 Original Unfreedom Soundtrack composed by Wayne Sharp & Jesse Kotansky
4. 10 Links for the Unfreedom Onetime Online Screening
5. An Unfreedom film poster autographed by the Director and the several of the Cast
6. Unfreedom Emailer Subscription

Sponsor a City

You adopted an entire city.

This is an important step for the the fight against censorship, discrimination and violence. You or your company are the official sponsor and will receive full media coverage as a sponsor for screenings in that city.

Special Support Trailer thanking you, hosted by the Director, will be played at all screenings.

You will be our guest of honor and will be given the opportunity to address the whole audience before all screenings (Skype if unavailable for attendance). We will also make sure everyone knows that you are the sponsor and you or your company will be mentioned in our press, social media and all advertisement of the event.

Also, for your generosity, we will give you all tiers above:
1. 10 Copies of the Unfreedom Bonus DVD Collection with Director and Cast Member signature
2. 20 Official #Unfreedom T-shirt in any size you choose
3. 10 Original Unfreedom Soundtrack composed by Wayne Sharp & Jesse Kotansky
4. 10 Links for the Unfreedom Onetime Online Screening
5. 2 Unfreedom film posters autographed by the Director and the several of the Cast
6. Unfreedom Emailer Subscription