Gender, Sexuality & Identity based discrimination and violence is a critical human rights issue. But there are very few avenues where concerned citizens including youth, media and professionals come together and discuss and deliberate on root cause of issues related to such abuse and violence. A two day travelling film fest in Bengaluru aimed to start conversations with a sizeable number of young men and women on a critical topic of gender diversity.
Called Sama -bhav, the film festival was organized by MAVA and was supported by the Namma Pride 2017 team. Men Against Violence and Abuse (MAVA) as an organisation has been engage men and boys in India to address issues of women and other minority groups and is helping to redefine masculinity and humanizing men’s image in society by breaking regular patriarchal notions.
Some of the notable films and documentaries in area of gender equality and women empowerment that were screened were Driving with Selvi, Ozhivudivasathe Kali- An Off-Day Game, Mardistan, Khel-Badal, Boys Cannot Be Boys. Walking the Walk, Breaking Free, Sundar, Daaravtha were the notable movies around sexuality that were screened.
The films helped the audience connect with the struggles and pain of people from sexual minorities and were followed by engaging conversations with leading psychoanalytic professionals, NGO leads, Queer community members and activists.
- SamaBhava Film Festival – Festival showcases minority issues in Bengaluru - November 20, 2017