Political and gender issues to the fore

Documentary films based on current social and political issues will be the highlight of the third day of the 9^th IDSFFK.  Various documentaries which portray how people caught up amidst armed struggle perceive life and freedom, will be screened on Sunday.

The theme of resistance politics is well reflected in Sanjay Kak’s documentary, Jashn-e-Azadi (How we celebrate freedom) which will be screened at Nila at 10 am on Sunday.  The film, featuring ordinary Kashmiris’ views, sparked off debate among social and political circles when it was released nine years back.

The struggles of Burmese ethnic minority are portrayed in Ta’ang, a Hong Kong- France venture directed by Wang Bing. The daily life and expectations of the ethnic minority, on an exodus across the border into China, are depicted in this 2016 film which will be screened at Sree at 6.45pm on Sunday.

And Then They Came For Me/Agli Baar by Devashish Makhija , Our Fatherland by Kareem Meppadi, Retracing Freedom: Goa Chapter by Prateek Vats and Until Space Remains/ Dalai Lama and India by Gaurav Saxena also discuss various socio-political issues.

Documentaries depicting gender issues will also be screened on Sunday. The major among them are I am Bonnie by Farha Khatun, Call it Slut directed by Nishtha Jain and Naked Wheels by Rajesh James.  I am Bonnie is the story of an ace footballer who failed sex test before Bangkok Asiad and his struggles to make the society accept his identity.  Call it Slut is part of many short documentaries curated by Umesh Kulkarni and it talks about the life of a transgender woman who fearlessly fights the patriarchal attitudes of the society.

Mother (Amma) by Neelan Premji will be screened at Kairali at 6.30pm.  The documentary, which portrays the life of the director’s mother who actively participated in the socio-political changes of her times, had recently won national award.

The Great Indian Hornbill’s Symphony of Life, depicting the lifecycle of the Great Indian Hornbill, directed by Biju Pankaj and Village of Widows, A Strange Story of Highway 44 , which talks about a tribal hamlet in Telengana, directed by Bijeesh Balann  will also be screened on Sunday. Short films under the package ‘Beej: Curated by Umesh Kulkarni is another highlight of the screenings on Sunday. Avasesh by Girish Kasaravalli is among the seven short films in this section. Roll No 42 by Mukti Krishnan, Page 8 by Thanzeer S, 18 Feet by Renjith Kuzhur, Weather of the Faces by Sidharth Srinivasan, Vaishali by Prachi Sharma, Wings by Sai Haval, One Last Question by Prathamesh Kri Sang, Durga by Vivek Kajaria, A Beast called Beauty by Aakansh Chitkara, Kalia by Nikhil Virdi, Bade TV Wala by Avadhoot Khanlokar and Darjeeling Mail by Konarak Mukherjee will also be screened on Sunday as part of 9^th  IDSFFK.