Invoking Justice (2011)

In Southern India, family conflicts are resolved by Jamaats – gatherings of men who apply Islamic law without women present, even to defend themselves. Seeing this as deeply unfair, a group of women formed their own Jamaat in 2004. It quickly grew into a network of 12,000 members across 12 districts. Facing strong opposition, they've settled over 8,000 cases, from divorce and domestic abuse to murder. Deepa Dhanraj documents several of these cases, revealing how the women's Jamaat gained power through community education and the leaders’ dedicated, persistent, and empathetic investigations. The film captures the intense Jamaat meetings, where women passionately share the difficult details of their lives.