Private Project

The Value of Women

The 3-4000 Kalasha are a Non-Muslim minority in the Hindukush Mountains in NW-Pakistan.
They are part of a big cultural area where dowry is the norm, where a girl becomes an economic burden to her parents to get married, where girls are considered a problem and often have a low self esteem. If the parents can’t pay more if demanded by the husband later after the marriage, it may lead to bride burning.
Among the Kalasha a father gives his daughter animal husbandry in dowry as her personal property when she gets married. However, of biggest importance is the bride wealth (bride price) given by the husband to his in-laws.
This film explores love, marriage and bride wealth among the Kalasha.
Men and women of varying age and success in marriage and love tell their stories in words and poetry.
Bride wealth “Dond” is frequently mentioned - as something a "heavy" (costly) woman can be proud of, as something to settle conflicts after a woman has eloped from an arranged marriage into a love marriage.
In a way the film enters the discussion about what the dowry system means to the attitudes to women in the Indian Subcontinent.
The producer has spent totally almost 3 years among the Kalasha during the last 40 years.

  • Birgitte Glavind Sperber
    Director
  • Birgitte Glavind Sperber
    Writer
  • Birgitte Glavind Sperber
    Producer
  • Saifullah Jan
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Gender, Religion, ethnography, dowry, Bride price, Women
  • Runtime:
    40 minutes
  • Country of Origin:
    Denmark
  • Country of Filming:
    Pakistan
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    MiniDV
  • Aspect Ratio:
    3:4
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Pärnu International Filmfestival
    Pärnu
    Estonia
    July 9, 2004
    Premiere
  • Himalaya Filmfestival
    Amsterdam
    Netherlands
    November 6, 2004
  • KIMFF Kathmandu international Mountain Film Festival
    Kathmandu
    Nepal
    December 8, 2006
Distribution Information
  • Birgitte Glavind Sperber
    Distributor
    Country: Denmark
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Birgitte Glavind Sperber

Birgitte Glavind Sperber: Born 1942, M.Sc. in Biology and Geography from University of Copenhagen. Retired senior lecturer in Geography and Biology from University College South in Denmark.
Every year 1983-2008 and in 2018, 2019 and 2022 long stays, in total for almost 3 years, among the Kalasha, a non-Muslim minority living in the Hindukush Mountains in NW Pakistan .
Education in social anthropology from Aarhus Open University.
Middle Eastern studies at Odense University
Author of books and ethnographic papers on the Kalasha.
Since 2000 shooting with a camcorder.
First film made at Danish Film Institute’s Video-workshop in Haderslev in 2001.
Since then working alone at my computer at home.
12 of my Kalasha documentaries have been selected for screening at 24 international film festivals. Two have been awarded ("The Last Honours" and "Kalasha Medicine").

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Director Statement

The interviewees were informed about the project making a film to tell people abroad about their traditions for marriage and love. Among the Kalasha, the stories are general knowledge and frequently talked about. Afterwards, the interviewees have seen and approved the film. They do not want it screened in Pakistan, as they don't want it to contribute to the prejudices against them. Often Muslim med harass Kalasha women believing them to be "easy".