Directed by Subina Shrestha • Documentary • 2024 • 82 minutes
Devi is a rebel warrior, mother, and sexual violence survivor – for her, Nepal's Civil War did not end in 2006. As those in power try to erase rape from the history of the war, Devi has to battle her own demons before she can begin to build a movement to fight for justice.
In 1997, 17-year-old Devi's life took a harrowing turn. Arrested during the onset of civil war in Nepal, she was accused of being a rebel, subjected to torture, and endured the unimaginable trauma of rape while in custody. Branded a "victim," Devi faced the weight of social stigma, and battled depression and isolation. Her story didn't end there, however. From joining the rebel frontlines to ascending through the ranks and eventually serving as a member of parliament after the war's end, Devi defied all odds.
Devi is an immersive vérité film that follows her remarkable journey. Through intimate encounters with her former lawyer and counsellor, the film digs deeply into personal moments, capturing Devi's unwavering resilience. Supported by her diary, archival footage and breathtaking imagery, Devi reconstructs a history silenced by erasure, rewriting her own destiny in the process, and illuminates the power of survival, the quest for justice, and the conquering spirit of humanity.
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