Here’s today’s dispatch from the crossroads of faith, media and culture.

With tomorrow being International Women’s Day, it’s a good time to note that Veil of Tears, a new documentary from Gospel for Asia (GFA) will be released in the U.S.  on March 28. The film tells the untold stories of millions of women in South Asia who face oppression simply because of their gender.

“Each day, many women across South Asia wake up with little hope for tomorrow, their lives radically altered by abuse, mistreatment,” says Dr. K. P. Yohannan, founder and international director of Gospel for Asia. “Our goal with Veil of Tears is to realistically portray their plight, but also communicate that we have a moral obligation to care for these women, act on their behalf and bring some measure of hope and restoration to their lives.”

The film points out that women in South Asia can be subject to a variety of abuses and mistreatment, including infanticide, dowry-related homicide, bride burning, sex trafficking and widow abandonment. Veil of Tears tells the heartbreaking stories of women caught in these cultural norms — the pain, devastation and destruction — but also about the hope. GFA says its goal is to empower women facing these threats with Christ’s love, giving them hope, encouragement and the practical resources to move beyond their cultural limitations.

Veil of Tears is directed and produced by award-winning filmmakers Kenny and Kyle Saylors. The brothers have spent nearly two decades involved with critically-acclaimed projects, including music videos, motion pictures, television series and documentary films. Their film Kimjongilia was an Official Selection at the Sundance Film Festival. Last fall, the brothers produced and directed the FOX Sports television docu-series The Gamebreaker featuring NFL stars Reggie Bush and DeMarcus Ware.

Christian recording artist and Grammy-award nominee Natalie Grant serves as narrator of “Veil of Tears.” As she told me when I interviewed some months ago, she experienced a life-changing trip to India several years ago. That trip ignited a new passion and direction in her music, but it has also inspired her to take action in tangible ways to help the women of India, including serving as narrator of the film.

“My life is forever changed because of that trip,” Grant says. “Not only seeing the oppression of women, but also seeing what hope can do. We have the opportunity to bring hope to these women, and that’s the remarkable story of this movie.”

Veil of Tears is scheduled to open in 19 cities nationwide, including Anaheim, Atlanta, Fort Worth, Houston, Tucson and New York City, New York. For a complete list of cities visit www.veiloftearsmovie.com/cities. Churches also  have an opportunity for special viewings of “Veil of Tears” March 26 – 30 through a free simulcast. To find out more about that visit www.veiloftearsmovie.com/churches.  For more info on Gospel for Asia you can go to www.gfa.org.

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Encourage one another and build each other up – 1 Thessalonians 5:11