A Socially Relevant Film Festival

At a time when rapes are making headlines on an almost daily, basis the issue of sexual assault was highlighted in the screenings at the International Film Festival of Shimla (IFFS) last weekend. There were some powerful films on the theme apart from other relevant topics that are not found in mainstream cinema today.

This was the tenth edition of the festival in the former British capital and it was marked by screening of 105 films from 27 countries and 22 states of India. These included feature films, short films, documentaries and animation films that were screened at the heritage Gaiety theatre complex along with the Model Central Jail at Kanda in Shimla and Model Central Jail at Nahan.

One of the most powerful screenings on the issue of child abuse was of the Malayalam film ‘Dwayam’ directed by Santhosh Balakrishnan. The highlight was a powerful performance by Dr Amar Ramachandran who is also a gynaecologist.

He plays the character of an art maestro Reghunandan who is trying to deal with the trauma of abuse in his childhood that has left him emotionally shattered, and isolated even from his love who is a social worker and a poetess. Reghunandan eventually finds solace in the hills where he forms a bond with a child who is an aspiring artist.

Another powerful film on the theme was ‘A Long Walk to Happiness’ by Tarun Sardana that was shot in Shimla itself and had some of the local actors. It follows the journey of Ajay played by Sardana himself who is also a victim of sexual child abuse and grows longing for a family connection and belonging. In the process he has to deal with frequent lapses of alcoholism.

The issue of communication gap between the parents and their children was well addressed in the short film ‘Kaala Jamun’ made by Anjit Bhatnagar. The movie is a warm tale of a father trying to reach out to his son who is in his twenties by making the sweet Kaala Jamun for the latter irrespective of his poor cooking skills. The film ends on a happy note when his son eventually accepts his facebook friend request.

One good thing about film festivals is the range of films that one gets to see according to tastes and preferences. Sometimes it is difficult to choose which genre or subject to watch and what to drop.

Among the documentary section was an interesting film ‘My Radio My Life’ that is about the golden days of radio in India. It deals with the challenges old radio enthusiasts face to get the vintage radio sets repaired and also those who are passionate about collecting the old sets.

The film has an interview of a Tamil radio professional who had broadcast the historic landing on the moon of Apollo 11 for his Tamil audience on Voice of America. It also shows an old woman who has derived a sense of liberation by connecting with people across the globe through HAM radio and how she was able to help in the rescue and relief efforts when a tsunami had hit south India in 2004. The film by Bidit Roy and Makarand Waikar is all about the fond memories of radio enthusiasts.

No film festival is complete without remembering the icons of film making. In the IFFS there was a documentary screened ‘In Search of Ajantrik’ that talks about a film director trying to understand the lives and culture of adivasis in reference to the masterpiece ‘Ajantrik’ that was made by the iconic Bengali director Ritwik Ghatak in present day Jharkhand.

This documentary by Meghnath tries to explore why Ghatak had chosen the subject and the locales to make his masterpiece. Alongside it deals with the all important issues of displacement of tribals in the face of open cast mining in the area.

There were films also around the importance of mental wellbeing. A short film of merely four minutes ‘Zindagi Roshan Hai’ revolves around the protagonist Roshan who is burdened by his family’s expectations as he comes to a big city to pursue his education.

He struggles academically and is about to end his life when a call from his sister makes him realise that his own troubles are less significant in the face of the crisis around his immediate family. He realises how much he is needed by his family.

There were some powerful international films that dealt with a variety of subjects. Among one of the brilliantly made films was ‘Raven’ from Bangladesh made by Zayed Siddiki.

The film deals with an old man facing existential crisis on both the economic and family fronts. The reluctance by employers to give him work, and his family's refusal to involve him in important decisions makes him understand his uselessness. This realisation leads him to withdraw from his family while becoming rebellious and aimless.

There were films from Iran, Ukraine, France, Canada, Czech Republic, South Korea, Turkey, Germany, Tunisia, Bulgaria, United Kingdom and more countries dealing in diverse subjects including war, displacement, repression, music, acceptance, environment etc.

Another major attraction at the festival was an exhibition paying tribute to the legacies of Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand and how they shaped the world of Hindi cinema. On display were posters of some of their most popular films besides a photo gallery with music from their films playing in the backdrop. On display was the poster of ‘Shree 420’ in Russian as Raj Kapoor had a great following in the erstwhile Soviet Union.

The exhibition delved into some of the behind-the-scenes stories, notable collaborations with renowned artists and the lasting impact these icons have had on the film industry.

While Raj Kapoor is remembered as ‘The Showman’ who revolutionised Indian cinema with his visionary storytelling and grand productions, Dev Anand was the quintessential ‘Evergreen Hero’ who captivated audiences with his suave demeanour, signature style and romantic roles.

Another highlight of the event was the screening of Seema Biswas’ latest film and her interaction with the audience. Known for her performance as Phoolan Devi in ‘Bandit Queen’ and also in ‘Water’, Biswas shared her experiences and challenges faced through her career.

“The journey in the film industry has never been easy, but it has been incredibly rewarding. Events like the IFFS are vital for creating spaces where diverse voices can be heard and appreciated,” she said.

It was good to see a large number of school children attending the festival. A special segment had been planned in the main historic Gaiety theatre for this category of the audience.