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Mr, Ranganathan, Coordinator of Fourth Development Film festival – 2008 says “We have to conserve the precious time tested wisdom rich culture and heritage”

I welcome every one to the Fourth Development Film festival – 2008. DHAN Foundation works in different fronts through Kalanjiam (Microfinance SHGs), Vayalagams (Water and Water bodies conservation), Uzhavagams (Rainfed agriculture groups), Thagavalagams (Information and communication technology kiosks), Panchayat (Governance of local bodies). DHAN has reached more than 6 lakhs grass root level people across the nation comprising Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharastra, Orissa, Madhya radish, Assam, Rajasthan and Jharkhand etc. DHAN felt the development activities can be reinforced by Development Film festivals hence it organizes such events through Centre for Development Communication (CDC).

DHAN Foundation initiated Development Film Festivals since 2005. This film festival not only restricts itself with bringing up constructive critics but also to encourage various development initiatives by creating awareness to the public and making them appreciate such novel attempts. DHAN Foundation has produced more than 20 development films. CDC is successful in reaching more than 1200 villages and urban slums in Tamil nadu through the mobile theatre. They have insisted the need of SHGs, water conservation, health awareness. These attempts helped to evolve “Development Film Festival”.

Development Film Festival was launched with the concept of Poverty in the year 2005, in the year 2006, it was “water and Life”, in 2007 it was “Water and People”, and this year it is “Culture and Heritage”. Due to globalization the age old tradition has lost its luster. To conserve the precious time tested wisdom rich culture and heritage, the topic was selected for the year.

We disseminated the topic across the world and we received 35 films, including two films from Philippines. Primitive screening was done by jury comprising of historians archeologists, environmentalists and journalists. Only 20 films were found to be specific to the topic, from which seven films were selected for screening in the festival. Also five films were selected for special screening as the date coincided with “World Tourism Day”.

Development Film Festival not only encourages the films and film makers, it also becomes an opportunity to introduce them to the general public and groom the amateur film makers to reach lime light. It is novel in organizing such festivals by joining hands with people institutions.

Fourth Annual Development Film Festival – A third person perspective

- Clara Presler, America India Foundation, Presently working in DHAN Foundation

The timing could not have been better: two weeks after arriving in Madurai for the first time, I was told that the Development Film Festival was taking place and the theme was “Culture and Heritage”. I have been placed here on a fellowship through the America India Foundation due to my interest in India, human rights, water, and culture. Although I am specifically working in the Tank office, I am deeply interested in matters of cultural consciousness and history, and how they relate to the community initiatives of DHAN Foundation. With this in mind, I spent four evenings at the Gandhi Museum, taking in all I could about the culture, heritage, and debates in Tamil Nadu and other parts of India.

In general, my comprehension of the conversations and even some of the films was severely limited by my lack of Tamil. This I lamented greatly during the festival and discussions. Although I had Amina’s generous assistance in translation, I know that one’s mother tongue is the only manner of accurately discussing such powerful and deep topics.

Nevertheless, I was able to perceive and was impressed by the intense engagement of the audience night after night. There was always a healthy crowd and a long cue for questions and comments after the films. This in itself showed that the topics of the films are not artifacts; instead, they represent living entities and vibrant sources of debates. In this way, the question and answer sessions were a crucial component of the festival. Films run the risk of falling flat if they are not discussed. Especially with the theme of “Culture and Heritage”, discussions are particularly important. It serves as a way to insight consciousness and communal investment in the issue.

As far as the films themselves, they can be divided into three categories. One set of films highlighted specific practices and traditions of the region. These included “Thai poosam”, “Enduring Traditions”, “Freedom Fighters”, and “Cinnapillaiamma”. Another group told a story through which a salient social issue was raised. The films in this group were “Missing Colors”, “Chedi” and “Elumalai Jama”. The final category included those that directly discussed a debate in contemporary society. These were “Living in the Park”, “Jallikattu”, and “Death Knell to Nilgiri Biosphere”. The specific topics of these films ranged from the beautiful tile art work of Athangudi to the tortured life of a transgender woman, to a discussion about the complications of the establishment of the Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan.

On October 2nd, DHAN Foundation Day, three films were awarded prizes. Interestingly, they were the three films from the second category, “Missing Colors”, “Chedi”, and “Elumalai Jama”. Although all the films were extremely engaging, these three were those that told stories that were thought provoking, cinematographically advanced, and left the audience seeing many perspectives on the issues.

In “Chedi”, the message was clear: children should not be relied upon for income in the family and girls’ education in particular is something that needs to be enhanced and valued. However, by following the father as the protagonist, we are able to see how he could fall into the trap of relying on his daughter.

In “Elumalai Jama”, we are taken inside the mind of an artist who is not able to practice his love of folk art and is forced to resort to other modes of employment. The story in itself is compelling; but further, it leaves the audience wondering about the people we pass on the street: what talents and passions have they been forced to leave behind in order to make a living? Should we all ask ourselves that?

Finally, “Missing Colors” puts us in the minds of three people: Karthi, a transgender woman who is prevented from flourishing as an artist due to discrimination and marginalization; a journalist researcher who sees such discrimination as a major problem in society and views Karthi as a prime example; and her companion, a man who doesn’t understand why someone should care so much about this issue. The movie serves as a social commentary with many nuances. Through Karthi, we see how she was violently expelled from her home as a young boy, reflecting the repulsion that many people feel in response to transgenderism. We also see an intermediate view, that of the journalist’s companion, that is surely quite common: the view that, although the active discrimination is bad, why should we actively reach out to these individuals? Finally, the third view is that of the director and the researcher, that marginalization of transgender people is a serious problem that needs to be actively addressed.

As a whole, the Development Film Festival served as a prime example of the great potential of film in our society. It provides a catalyst to discussion, connecting people and encouraging them to think about history and community. Beyond that, it is a way of representing a culture to the world. For me personally, the festival put the work I will be doing with DHAN Foundation in a larger context, for which I am grateful.