Acclaimed documentary filmmaker raises funds to break the silence on monogamy.

Director's Introduction:

As the eldest male of an Indian family, I have been pressured to get married ever since I graduated from college but I have always felt unable to commit to a vow of monogamy for the rest of my life.

This realization troubled me and I began to research why we marry and pledge fidelity to one person by reading evolutionary psychology, biology and history to try and understand the relevance of these social norms today.

Then, in 2011, I met a woman who swept my heart away and I decided to start making this film. I now need your help to finish it.

WHYKNOT is a documentary film that tells the story of a filmmaker trying to separate love and sex as the chorus to marry grows louder.

As he attends various lavish weddings within his family, Dhruv is pressured to follow suit and tries to find answers to some pressing questions by interviewing his family and experts in the field while he struggles to mediate an open relationship with the woman he loves.

His search takes us beyond his bedroom and into the biology of sex, the history of patriarchy and the politics of monogamy where his girlfriend, scientists, polyamorists, Dhruv's loved one's, and even tapeworms become a part of this self-reflexive narrative.

WHYKNOT is an intellectual and emotional journey through the landscape of monogamy, questioning what it means to be human and to confront this conflict between our instincts and our morals.

Why do we marry and cheat in almost every culture in the world?

Why is monogamy so important to a relationship and why does infidelity cause so much grief?

Is sexual jealousy innate in humans or nurtured in a world of possessions?

Is it possible to separate love and sex and stay in love?

Through art and introspection, we wish to create a film which can help others make informed decisions about the most valuable relationships in their lives.

This film's objective is not to advocate for or against monogamy, but to break the silence and provoke thought on an issue which affects so many relationships and families today.

Our vision is to empower relationships and to encourage communication within, hoping that one day, infidelity and the containment of our desires may only be a remnant of human history. 

Dr. Christopher Ryan - Writer & Psychologist. Author of "Sex at Dawn"

Dossie Easton - Relationship Counselor & Author of "The Ethical Slut"

Dr. Stephanie Coontz - Historian. Author of "Marriage, A History"

Dr. David Barash & Dr. Judith Lipton - Evolutionary Biologist & Psychologist. Authors of "The Myth of Monogamy" & "Strange Bedfellows"

As an independent filmmaker, creating a very personal film, I wish to connect directly with my audiences and make you the decision makers and future financiers of documentary films.

I have been shooting this film with my own funds for the past 2 years and I now need your help to continue shooting and to edit this film with the best talent.

I would greatly appreciate your support to help us realize the vision of this film and bring it to audiences around the world by securing the interest of broadcasters.

The funds we generate from your contributions will go towards paying for crew, equipment, meals, travel, offline and online editor fees, studio fees, stock footage licenses, music licenses and campaign rewards distribution.

If we are able to raise $50,000 the additional funds will go towards creating an original music soundtrack for the film (as opposed to licensed music). If we are able to raise up to $60,000 then we will use the funds to travel to the Amazon to film with tribes that practice partible paternity where a child has more than one father.

Budget Breakdown:

DHRUV DHAWAN studied cultural anthropology at Duke University and filmmaking at the New York Film Academy. As a documentary filmmaker he is focused on issues of human rights and the human experience. After the tsunami he spent 10 months living with Sri Lanka's survivors documenting their strength and struggle in FROM DUST which opened to critical acclaim at the Tribeca Film Festival and was internationally distributed.

Thereafter Dhruv has directed and photographed documentary films for other producers. Some of them include THREADS OF TRADITION about the Indian fashion industry which won the MIPDOC Co-Pro Challenge at Cannes in 2008 and BUILDING AUTISM which discovers the link between autism and genius through the mind of Stephen Wiltshire.

Dhruv is also an avid night photographer and his "Mumbai Sleeping" Collection is exhibited in Asia and Europe.

Please Google, "Dhruv Dhawan" to read press and critic reviews of his work or visit his website

View the entire MUMBAI SLEEPING COLLECTION here

1. Contribute to our campaign and help us spread the word about this film if you believe that a dialogue on this topic should be created. A direct email is the most powerful way to get this message out.

2. Send everyone you know the link to this campaign page http://www.igg.me/at/whyknotmovie

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http://www.whyknotmovie.com