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Human Rights, Now!


2012
02.02

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Posted in Current Affairs, events, movie | No Comments »

Flashpoint Film Festival

Eminent media and fashion personality Feroze Gujral to inaugurate human rights film fest in New Delhi that opens the door for a range of human rights issues from violence, fundamentalism and corruption to gender discrimination and homophobia

 

New Delhi: Following on the highly successful and impactful first edition, the 2nd edition of FLASHPOINT Human Rights Film Festival will be held from February 3rd – 5th, 2011 at Alliance Française de Delhi.

The festival will be inaugurated by Feroze Gujral, eminent media and fashion personality and the director of the philanthropic art foundation Outset India, and Mr. Max Claudet, Cooperation And Cultural Counsellor, French Embassy on February 3rd morning at 10am at Alliance Française de Delhi.

This year the festival will screen 16 films that take a critical and empathetic look at several human rights issues – from religious fundamentalism, communal violence, political authoritarianism, war crimes, homophobia, surrogacy, migrant rehabilitation, women empowerment, corruption and poverty.

The films shine a harsh beam on human rights violations in, as diverse countries as, Kenya, Senegal, Columbia, Israel, Iraq, Kurdistan, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Cameroon, USA and India. This year, for the first time, the festival screens six films that are set in India focusing on human rights issues and human right defenders – Firaaq, Mee Sindutai Sakpal, Cotton For My Shroud, Made In India, In Search Of My Home and Pink Saris.

Rangayan says, “The festival is an attempt to highlight issues and initiate a dialogue. The first step towards fighting human rights violation is creating awareness. Only when someone knows there is a problem, can one raise a voice and ignite change. Entry to the festival is free and there is no need for pre-registration. We want everyone to be able to see the films and participate in the discussions.”

FLASHPOINT Human Rights Film Festival is organized by Solaris Pictures in collaboration with Alliance Française de Delhi, Movies That Matter and Ramon Productions.

The 2nd FLASHPOINT Human Rights Film Festival screened also in Mumbai between December 8-10, 2011 and was inaugurated by eminent director Mahesh Bhatt and actress Tisca Chopra alongwith Consul General of France in Mumbai. Other celebrities who attended and participated in discussions were Nandita Das, Onir, Alyque Padamsee, Dolly Thakore, Mona Ambegoankar and Ananth Mahadevan.

The inauguration of the film festival on February 3rd will also feature launch of PROJECT BOLO in New Delhi. Project Bolo is the first ever comprehensive LGBT oral history project that records 20 LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) persons in four cities who open up in a candid manner to offer an inside view into their lives, views and accomplishments. These in-depth video interviews walk us through their lives – their growing up years, sexual explorations, coming out to family/friends/media, their romances and relationships, their fearless career paths and their pioneering accomplishments.

Feroze Gujral who will launch the Project Bolo DVDs in New Delhi says, “”Project Bolo is an important step in the history of the LBGT movement in India and I am proud to support it and release it officially in Delhi. We need to create an inclusive India for all its citizens, and this includes its gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender minorities. I have so many friends from this community and I have always felt angry that their voices are not heard enough. Project Bolo finally amplifies some of these voices, and shows, how, in their own ways, members of this community are not so different from the rest of us, in their lives, hopes and dreams.”

Several Project Bolo interviewees like Saleem Kidwai, Sunil Gupta, Parmesh Shahani, Aditya Bandopadhyay and Hoshang Merchant will also be present during the event.

“We need these voices to ring, loud and clear, across every platform to reach out to the social mainstream – to say we exist and that we lead productive lives. There is a general notion that gay, lesbian and transgender persons are only interested in sex, fashion, partying and drugs. People can’t imagine that they can also be successful doctors, lawyers, writers, filmmakers, historians, professors, businesswomen and corporate executives! Project Bolo will change that person and underline the fact that LGBT persons too are ‘useful’ members of the society!”, says Sridhar Rangayan, who has conceived and directed the project. Project Bolo is produced by The Humsafar Trust in association with Solaris Pictures and supported by UNDP.

Entry to the film festival is free. The full schedule and synopses of films playing at 2nd FLASHPOINT Human Rights Film Festival, can be found at www.flashpointfilmfestival.com

 

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“We didn’t want to make a movie like Dostana”


2011
06.08

Posted in bollywood, gay, interview, lgbt, movie | No Comments »

A Broken Reality, a movie based on a true story and described as a thought provoking effort to make parents realise that though they have homosexual kids but still they are their own kids, is under production. Sukhdeep Singh talks to the lead actor Apoorv Jaiswal , who, along with Kshitij Mathur, is behind this whole project.

Tell us something about the movie.

The movie is based on a real life story. There was a very close friend of mine who actually tried to commit suicide because of all the social pressures, parental pressure, marriage issues and everything. This story in a way is dedicated to him. The story is about two guys, one is Aditya and the other is Manav. While Aditya is a jolly character, very full of life kind of guy and the only son of his parents, Manav is a reserved person whose parents have separated. The movie is about how these two people meet each other and fall in love, and what happens when Aditya’s mother finds out about their relationship.

How did Unique Horizons Entertainment happen?

I met Kshitij on Facebook first. We both were from Bhopal and we had the same dream of making it big in the film industry and we kind of clicked. We then formed the banner Unique Horizons Entertainment. We had five scripts to choose from for our debut, and we chose this one as little efforts have been made in India to portray homosexuality in a sensible way. We didn’t want to make a movie like Dostana where we are making fun of such people. The script-writer and director is Kshitij Mathur, while the story and concept is by me and Kshitij both. The role of Aditya is being played by me and Himanshu plays Manav. The role of a girl in love with Aditya is being played by Anshika. The mother’s character has yet not been finalized.

Has the production started?

Everything has been lined up. People have come up on their own for donations. We are looking for more donations. Previously, our film was a short movie of 20 minutes. But we felt 20 minutes is a short time to show each and everything that we want to portray. So we extended the length to 1 hour and we are striving hard that if we go for a 1 hour long movie, we have a theatrical release. We are going to send it for Film Festivals and are also in talks with some of the production houses. If everything goes fine, and depending on the response we get, we shall go for a theatrical release in India at least in the multiplexes. We are trying to keep a point in front of the society that these people also have a right to live, right to smile, right to live as per their own terms and wishes , because these are absolutely normal people.

What are you trying to portray through your movie?

We are breaking two myths. First myth which normally people have about homosexuals is that gay men are always feminine. Second myth which parents have about homosexuality is that it is abnormal and is a kind of communicable disease, that other people who are gay are turning my son into gay. We are trying to break such myths and that is why the name of the movie is A Broken Reality. The society is actually living in a broken reality and is not able to see the actual reality in the world. It has closed its eyes

When will the shooting begin then?

We have begun the rehearsals part because we want to do as less retakes as possible since we have a very tight budget. We are happy that people have come up on their own and donated money. Donations have ranged from Rs 100 to Rs 10000, without any expectation of any returns. We are going to include all the names in the producer list. Pratibha is assisting us in the editing and is also doing it for free. That is how we are cutting on the cost. We want to make a master piece, but we want to make a masterpiece with as much support from people and as less money as possible.

So you mean to say that it is a crowd sourced film like I AM?

Yes! Initially we were planning to produce it on our own- me and Kshitij. But then we realised that this kind of movie needs a big platform and more and more people and parents should watch the movie. Rather than LGBT people, we want straight people to watch it more, we need to open their eyes. Yes, the idea is similar to I AM and that is why we are proud of our movie, because people have accepted us with open arms.

What has been the biggest challenge that you have faced till now while making this movie?

The biggest challenge was that we were dealing with a very fragile topic and the emotions of a lot of LGBT people are involved. We did not want to make a movie like Kal Ho Na Ho or Dostana. It is a very serious film, a very romantic film in which people will connect with the characters of Aditya and Manav.

The actors are all working for free, they are doing it as a social cause and none of them even thought twice before saying yes. We have got positive comments, but we have also got negative comments. Many people have tried to discourage us too, saying that this is a topic you shouldn’t touch in a country like India. But we wanted to do it, and so we are doing it.

You said this is going to be a romantic movie, so will there be any intimate scenes?

We were thinking of putting some intimate shots as in some bed and kissing scenes, but we scrapped it, and right now there is only a passionate hug scene, which we are keeping because it is the demand of the script. We just want to portray that they are not doing it for fun, they are not doing it for pleasure but they are in a loving and committed relation. They both are complementing each other.

So when is shooting for the movie going to start?

Shooting will most probably begin by 3rd week of June.

By what time do you plan to finish the shoot?

We are already working day and night and plan to wrap up the shooting in three weeks and then editing will take another week. So, our film should be ready by July end. Then we will be sending it for film festivals all over the world. We are also looking forward to sending it to Kashish International Queer Film Festival next year.

Depending on the response we get in the Film Festivals, some of the production houses have come up on their own knowing about our efforts, that they will, in collaboration with Unique Horizons Entertainment, go in for a theatrical release.

How do you plan to take forward your own career?

We have our own production banner. After this movie I and Kshitij are going to work together more and more. Taking this topic for my first movie has been a challenge for me and I am getting to hone my acting skills as well. I am getting to have a feel of what is actually sensible and meaningful cinema. I always wanted to do meaningful cinema. I never wanted to be a part of commercial cinema. I don’t want to do a movie like Ready. I want to do movies like Abhay Deol. I like his movies a lot. I would also like to be an actor with a different recognition of his genre only, where people will say someday that whatever he does is something different and good. We are definitely planning to come up with more and more scripts under the banner of Unique Horizons and we look forward to make more such movies on social issues.

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Memories In March – A Review


2011
04.04

Posted in bollywood, gay, lgbt, movie, review | 2 Comments »

-Agnivo Niyogi

Another film starring Rituparno Ghosh. Another film scripted (and ghost directed?) by Ritu Da. The art of film making achieves more finesse with every film that Rituparno gifts us. With every offering, Ritu Da makes us sit back and ponder on some facets of life we happily ignore otherwise.

For people like me who stay away from home, when was the last time you talked to your Mom? When was the last time you asked the one you love, how (s)he is? Is there anything you wanted to share with someone close to you but held it back fearing adverse reactions? I believe we all live in a closet, an imaginary divide between us and the world. A world of our own where even our closest companions have no access.

Relationships dont have names. They cant be branded. Feelings define them, not names. Memories in march simply puts the message across. Our perceptions of civility, conservationism, morality fade out of the scene in the beautiful merging of emotions with life, realities with perceptions and our inherent biases are programmed for death.

Some films are made not to be watched but to be felt.  The pain of loss, the dilemma of acceptance, the turmoil of penance, the bonding of souls come to life with the haunting scores of Debojyoti Mishra. Tagore comes to life with “Eki Labonye Punyo Prano”, the bard’s influence is felt in the two brojbuli songs in the film.

People say Ritu da’s scripts are slow, boring. I never understand why they want moments to fly past when characters are trying to hold onto them. Time chooses to stand still when a mother enters the bedroom of her deceased son. Why should the frame not freeze?

Memories in March will make every mother emotional. It will make every son want to go and give his mother a tight hug and say, “I am there for you Mom”. I suddenly have this big urge to hug Maa and tell her I love someone and it’s a he. Who knows what happens even a minute later.

Memories in March with all humility reminds us that we live for moments. Memories make our life what it is. Love and only unselfish love can make us humane and conquer hearts beyond all hardships.

Having praised the film all along I could not find any justification for dubbing Sahana’s mother’s voice with Mithu Chakravorty. The scene where Ritu Da calls Deepti Naval melodramatic was instead a melodramatic one. And at times the editing seemed to kill the narrative. If these can be pardoned, the film like memories flow through your mind and are here to stay.

I would highly recommend the readers to live this experience. It can also be watched online for 2$ (www.dingora.comor www.databazaarmedia.com/roku). Watch it not because it talks of a relationship between two men, not because it is a film written by Rituparno Ghosh. Watch it because in the end, we exist because we live relationships.

My rating : 3.5/5 and must watch. (Agnivo Niyogi blogs at http://xpresso.in/)

[P.S. Like in the film, Raima Sen has an invisible presence in my review. She is as much part of the relationship between Sid and Ornob as Aarti is]