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THE UGLY SIDE OF BEAUTY was the inaugural winner of the Sustainable Development Goals Prize at the 2021 Japan Prize. The awards took place in Tokyo on Nov 9 2021.
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Organized by NHK, the JAPAN PRIZE recognizes the world’s best educational content with 267 entries from 48 countries competing this year. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Prize honours an outstanding work that inspires viewers to take action and contribute to the advancement of sustainable development goals.
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Produced by THE MOVING VISUALS CO. in Singapore, the documentary was recognised for its revealing investigation into the complex truth behind our cosmetics. Digging deep into the hidden world of mica mining in India, THE UGLY SIDE OF BEAUTY explores the trade that feeds our voracious demand for beauty and other glittering products.
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The story sheds light on mica, a controversial mineral found abundantly in India. Due to its shimmery qualities, it is used in everyday products from make-up to electronics to car paint. But lingering questions have remained about how it is extracted, and whether children are exploited in the mining process.
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Tackling the subject was both challenging and enlightening for the film’s producers Sumitra Gopal and Galen Yeo. They found that the reality on the ground was often quite different from what NGOs and media outlets had portrayed.
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“Typically, the whole discussion of mica in the news has been framed mainly around child labour. It’s far more complex than that.” says Galen Yeo, Creative Director at The Moving Visuals Co. “It’s an entire cycle of poverty that goes beyond what the headlines portray.”
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Sumitra Gopal hopes that this show will spark greater awareness: “It’s worth asking brands to be accountable, to ask questions about their supply chain, and for us to have more responsibility and engagement with what we buy all the time.”
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“It’s nice to be recognised by the Japan Prize. There were some excellent productions around social and environmental issues in the running,” says Yeo. “This story highlights the fact that we have a lot to learn and do to make life more sustainable for the planet and its people.”
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About the Show:
Beneath the glittering façade of our beauty products lies an ugly secret. In India, thousands of adult and child miners risk their health and lives to search for mica, the mineral that gives our makeup its shimmering allure.
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THE UGLY SIDE OF BEAUTY investigates the rarely discussed issues of child labour, supply chains and ethical mining in the beauty industry. From underground ghost mines and forest camps to dusty workshops, this documentary digs into the conflict and controversy behind the trade and sheds light on the ongoing struggles that its miners face.
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The documentary premiered on CNA’s Undercover Asia strand, a series that uncovers hard truths in the underbelly of Asia. It is currently streaming on CNA, YouTube and Netflix (in certain territories).
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Read more here:
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/cnainsider/make-up-ugly-secret-plight-india-mica-miners-beauty-industry-1392471
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About the Japan Prize:
Established in 1965 by leading national Japanese broadcaster NHK, the Japan Prize is a prestigious international contest that honors the top educational programs worldwide.
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For more information, visit the Japan Prize website.
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We would like to thank the following people and organizations for their participation:
Deepak Bara
Danwatch
Liht Organics
Ethical Consumer
Peter Bengtsen
Witness Image
Edlyn Seow
Circulor
