|
by
Nava Thakuria
The
first international women's film festival in India
took place at the Y B Chavan Center, Mumbai, on
5 March, 2004. Organised by the Mumbai based non-profit
organisation Point of View, in association
with the Federation of Film Societies of India,
the five-day festival showcased five award-winning
features by prominent women film makers. The screen
came alive with the female experience, highlighting
women's expectations, independence, joys and awareness.
The
festival was inaugurated by award-winning film
director Aparna Sen, and kickstarted by The
Apple, a debut film by Samira Makhmalbaf of
Iran. The film is a heart-warming story based
on a real life incident in Tehran, of two teenage
girls who were secluded in their home, right from
birth, by their father for 11 years as a consequence
of socio-religious stigma. The story climaxes
after some of their neighbours report the girls'
condition to the local welfare authority.
The
young director (Samira was only 18 years old while
making the film in 1998) deals with the situation
sensitively and creates an unusual opportunity
for the sisters to come out of their cage and
experience the world around them: a naughty boy
and two young schoolgirls who guide the childlike
sisters through the streets of Iran. The moment
is captured perceptively by bringing alive the
girls' renewed senses and sensibilities.
In
an interview, Samira disclosed that she found
nobody to play the role of the two sisters, who
are portrayed almost like animals in the beginning
of the film. So the director convinced the two
sisters and their father and blind mother to play
themselves in the film. "I thought nobody,
even a specialist could know how the sisters,
who had never had any contact with the outside
world since their birth, would behave,"
said Samira. She is the youngest director in the
world to participate in the official selection
of the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. The Apple,
has received invitations from over 100 international
film festivals till date and can be described
as a documentary presented with a fictional touch.
On
the second day of the festival, Aparna Sen's directorial
debut '36 Chowringhee Lane' made in 1981,
was screened. Jennifer Kendal gives an excellent
performance of an ageing Anglo Indian woman living
in Kolkata. The film captures its audience with
its charm.
Sen
takes the viewers through the solitary life of
a school teacher, who bumps into an ex-student.
The story revolves around the relationship that
builds up between the ex-student, her boyfriend
and the teacher. At the end, the teacher, disillusioned
with the couple, returns to her lonely self.
Sen,
who started her celluloid journey as an actress
with Ray's 'Teen Kanya' in 1961, said while
speaking to this writer, that she felt nostalgic
presenting the film after 23 years, to an audience.
She added, "We had an excellent team,
which included the producer Shashi Kapoor, in
the making of '36 Chowringhee Lane'. I fondly
remember the team spirit we enjoyed during those
days."
While
commenting on the women's film festival, Sen,
the creator of 'Paroma', 'Picnic',
'Sati', 'Paromitar Ek Din', 'Yugant'
and 'Mr and Mrs Iyer', said that she prefers
not to distinguish any creative piece of work
on the basis of gender. "But it is a kind
of opportunity for the audience to enjoy the perspective
of women film makers from five countries. As I
believe, women always have a different perception
of the world, hence, we should accept the occasion
as a matter of celebration," said Sen,
who also edits Bengali film magazine, 'Anandalok'.
On
the third day, the audience was treated to feminist
director Vera Chytilova's unconventional production,
'Daisies'. The movie, which features two
restless young women who rebel against the norms
of society, was banned by the Czechoslovakian
government just after its release in 1966. But
Chytilova fought to get her film screened.
'Daises'
doesn't follow the conventional form of narration
in the film. The film was awarded and honoured
at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival,
the Venice Film Festival and the Pilsen Film Festival.
'The
Swamp' (2001) by Lucrecia Martel, from Argentina,
was shown on the fourth day. The story revolves
around an old lady and the jealousies and fights
among family members, which finally ends in tragedy.
It also explores the racism and prejudice that
still preoccupies the middle class psyche.
The
festival came to an end with the screening of
Jane Campion's debut film 'Sweetie'. The
story depicts the diverse points of view of two
young sisters. It is an emotional narrative of
love, hate, superstition and desire, which ends
with the final realisation of human relationships.
The
films representing Argentina, the Czech Republic
and India revealed the woman's world of imagination
and reality.
Speaking
on the occasion, festival director Bishakha Datta
said that the primary intention of the festival
was to encourage new audiences to appreciate intelligent
and challenging film works made by women representing
different races, social classes and ages. It may
be mentioned that a glowing tribute was paid to
the world's first woman filmmaker, Alice Guy.
Rare archival footage of the French producer-director,
created nearly a century ago, was screened on
the inaugural day of the festival.
Disclosing
the aim of her organisation as promoting the points
of view of women through media, art and culture,
Bishakha also added, "The festival can
provide the audience in India a rare chance to
explore women's images, their talent and their
distinct perspective on the world."
Described
as a celebration of the vision, spirit and drive
of women in film making, the festival will travel
to six other Indian cities: New Delhi, Kolkata,
Hyderabad, Chennai, Tiruvananthapuram and Bangalore,
till the end of April.
Back
to Interesting links page
|
