Creative

FILM SPECTRUM @ ViBGYOR 2015

The Film Spectrum in the Open Entry category at ViBGYOR Film Festival-2015 comprises of three major sectons, namely Focus of the Year Package, ViBGYOR Theme Packages and the Kerala Spectrum Package. In addition to the Open Categories, there are film packages curated by the Festival Directorate, which include the International and National Retrospectives, Homages, Country Focus and/or Filmmaker-in-Focus package and Festival Director’s Specail package.

Focus of the Year ‘Green Growth’ Package:

The value of intact eco-systems and all the resources they provide us is a concept overlooked by economists and administrators in their preoccupations with GDP calculations. Nature is not giving out any more free lunches is what the economists warn us now. We are waking up to the revelations that our dependence on these resources needs to be regulated and it is high time we cleaned the mess we have created. But how soon and how big are going to be the steps we take toward this is what we have to ask ourselves.

ViBGYOR Theme Packages:

Films under the seven ViBGYOR theme packages would explore the central theme of ViBGYOR Festival, namely `celebrating identities and diversity’ in its depth and breadth.

• Identities

Various minorities are facing different facets of discrimination. Many of these groups are struggling to preserve their identities and to resist the encroachments of the mainstream. The issues of Indigenous People, Dalits, Sexual and other Minorities come under this theme. Women’s rights, Gender equality, Racial discrimination etc are some of the often discussed topics under this ‘colour’ of ViBGYOR.

• Gender & Sexuality

Films in this section and the ensuing discussions look at the construction of gender, and the power-relations that are inscribed within it. This theme examines the questions of insidious prescriptions and proscriptions that are constantly at work in the fabrication of gender and sexuality divides and disparities.

• Rights

Basic human rights are enlisted by various organizations like UN and many of them have been legally approved as ‘fundamental rights’ by most nations across the world. But millions of people are still struggling to get their rights legitimized and implemented. This includes, Right to Food/Shelter/Security, Right to Equality, Freedom of Expression, Education, Employment and Health.

• Developmentalism

Human beings are slowly realizing that they are just one of the meshes in the giant web of nature. And a handful of dedicated people are taking it as a mission to protect the environment. On the other hand many lucrative and agressive projects are in the offing in all parts of the world in the name of ‘development’. But ‘whose’ development is it? The issues listed under this ‘colour’ include, Industrialization, Corporate fascism, Displacement, Migration, Special Economic Zones, Genetically Modified Crops, Dams, Slum development, Roads, Conservation, Pollution, Natural Resources, Energy, Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ) etc.

• Nation State

The role of the State in the well-being of the human being is significant. But instead of protecting every citizen’s rights, the State at times robs us of our dignity and rights. The use and abuse of State machinery leave long-lasting effects on communities. The topics include Authoritarianism, Terrorism, International Disputes, Corruption, Right to Information and Public Interest Litigation (RTI & PIL) campaigns etc.

• Fundamentalism v/s Diversity

Religions, faiths and codes of morality have significantly contributed to societal living in terms of a large body of norms and etiquettes that help foster a harmonious life. But lately, this human need for bonding with the Beyond and other humans is rather misused to the extent of spreading hatred and hostility among communities. Fundamentalism, Communalism and Religious harmony are some of the topics discussed by films under this ‘colour’.

• Culture & Media

Media, the principal vehicle of promotion and dissemination of culture, has assumed mammoth power proportions in the globalized digital age to the extent of pushing conventional cultural models and patterns into the background and carving out its unique niche in the soio-cultural fabric. How consent is manufactured by media and other players in the cultural scenario is a major question this section would raise apart from throwing light to the survival of small, diverse ethnic cultures in the global village

Kerala Spectrum Package:This section showcases films made by filmmakers residing in Kerala, which includes documentaries based on `Kerala’ themes, short fiction films and also the `Focus-Children films’, either made by children or made by adults that catter to young audiences.

Other:Includes short fiction, music video, animation, experimental and spots films.

ViBGYOR Film Collective, a charitable society registered (Reg. No: R-192/07) under Travancore-Cochin Societies Registration Act 1955, is the legal body that organizes the ViBGYOR Annual Film Festival and the associated activities. It was registered as a Society on 4th April 2007 and later as a Film Society with Federation of Film Societies of India (FFSI). ViBGYOR Film Collective is conceived as an open coalition of various networks and groups, representing Indigenous People, Dalits, Youth, South Asian Relations, Human Rights, Environment and Development, Women’s Issues, Globalisation, Labour, Culture and Media etc. at national and South Asian level. 

ViBGYOR FILM FESTIVAL DIRECTORATEViBGYOR Film Festival Directorate, consisting of the Festival Director, Curators, Advisors and representatives of different Member/Partner organizations of ViBGYOR Collective, is the body that coordinates the ViBGYOR Annual Festival and its associated activities.

1^st ViBGYOR, International Film Festival for Documentaries and Short Fiction

Dates: February 22-26, 2006 | Focus Theme: Water | Chief Guest of Inaugural Ceremony: Lasse Naukarinen, Finnish filmmaker | Films screened: 200

Chetana Media Institute (Thrissur), Nottam(Kerala) and Abhivyakti Media for Development(Nashik), with the support of various film societies and cultural organizations, launched the 1^st edition of  VIBGYOR in 2006. Four awards were given away in two categories – documentary and short fiction. The Competition section at national level for Documentaries was based on the theme `Women Frames’. Non-competitive section included national and international short fiction, documentaries, music videos, animations and spots based on the central theme of ViBGYOR, `Celebrating Identities and Diversity’.

2^nd ViBGYOR, International Film Festival

Dates: May 10-13, 2007 | Focus Theme: Earth | Chief Guest of Inaugural Ceremony: Yasmin Kabir, Bengladeshi filmmaker

 The 2^nd edition was launched with a National Conference based on ‘Earth’. Members of the National Adivasi Andolan movement presented an Invocation to Earth.  Dr. Ram Dayal Munda delivered the keynote address, ‘Land—ownership and displacement in the context of globalization and Privatization’. Reputed documentary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, social activist and scholar Ram Dayal Munda and Kerala State Chalachitra Academy Chairman K.R.Mohanan were some of the dignitaries present.

3^rd ViBGYOR, International Film Festival

Dates: February 13-17, 2008 | Focus Theme: Energy | Inaugural film: Voices from Baliapal | Retrospective: Ranjan Palit-Vasudha Joshi

Prior to the Festival at Thrissur, a National Conference was organized at Thiruvanathapuram on `Energy- Policies, Problems and Solutions’. Magsaysay Award winner Sandeep Pandey delivered the keynote address and an eminent panel led the presentations and discussions. ViBGYOR Film Festival Opening Ceremony was held on February 13<sup>th</sup> in Pananchery Panchayat, to mark it as `Festival from the People’. The Panchayat President Ms. Lilly Francis, along with 14 filmmakers who came from different parts of the world, lighted lamps of peace and harmony. The high point of the day was the screening of the short film `Akavum-Puravum’ scripted and directed by the women’s group of Pananchery Panchayat.

4^th ViBGYOR, International Film Festival

Dates: February 04-08, 2009 | Focus Theme: Food Sovereignty or Bhakshya Swaraj

Chief Guest of Inaugural Ceremony: Dr. Ilina Sen, Dean of Mahatma Gandhi Hindu University, Wardha and wife of imprisoned human rights activist Dr. Binayak Sen

The Festival began with an international Conference that emphatically pointed out the need for protecting our basic human rights including the right to have decision-making power over our food and food producing resources. The 5-day Festival, held in the Sangeet Natak Akademy, Thrissur, Kerala, was a combination of screening more than a hundred short fiction films and documentaries, Open forums and Mini conferences on current social and political issues, `Free Dr. Binayaksen’ and other campaigns and a Workshop on `Community Radio’. ViBGYOR-2009 served as a platform for the coming together of social activists and filmmakers of national and international acclaim and people from various walks of life who came to share their dreams of ‘another/alternative world’.

5^th ViBGYOR, International Film Festival

Dates: February 17-21, 2010 | Focus Theme: South Asia – Democracy, Justice, Peace | Chief Guest of Inaugural Ceremony: Dr. Binayak Sen, human rights activist

The 5^th edition began with the South Asian Conference on ` State, Communal and Developmental Conflicts in South Asia’. Zakia Soman, Founder Member, Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan inaugurated the Conference. Dr. Binayak Sen, national Vice President of PUCL did the key-note presentation of the Conference. Immediately after the closing of the South Asia Conference, we had the inauguration of the` Justice for Bhopal’ Campaign Photo Exhibition, marking the 25^th anniversary of the Bhopal tragedy victims’ campaign for justice. Seven politically significant short films were screened in the Open Air venue as part of the `Inaugural Films Package’. In the following days, from 18<sup>th</sup>-21<sup>st</sup>, a total of 100 films were screened at three venues (Regional Theatre, Natyagriham and Open Air Screen). Apart from the screenings, there were the `Meet the Directors’ sessions, the Mini Conferences, two Campaigns, the Farm & Food Fair, the Media Exhibition, Music Time and the Cultural Night.

6^th ViBGYOR, International Film Festival

Dates: January 12-16, 2011 | Focus Theme: Political Filmmaking and Media Activism in South Asia | Festival Director: Anand Patwardhan | Chief Guest of Inaugural Ceremony: Saeed Mirza, filmmaker | Saratchandran Memorial Lecture: Medha Patkar | Films screened: 130 films from 20 countries

This edition of the Festival was dedicated to the memory of late C.Saratchandran, founder member of ViBGYOR and a long time political filmmaker and media activist. The special focus theme was `Political Filmmaking and Media Activism in South Asia’ in tune with the vision and mission of Sarat. The festival began with the South Asia Media Activists’ Get-together. ‘Models of Media Activism’ was a special series of interactive sessions. There was also an exhibition on Media Activism on all five days. A workshop on Adivasi Ayurveda was led by Dr.Vijayan. Medha Patkar delivered the first Saratchandran Memorial Lecture on `Challenges to Peoples’ Movements and Alternative Media Responses’. 52 filmmakers, including Norma Marcos from Palestine, attended the festival.

7^th ViBGYOR, International Film Festival

Dates: February 22-26, 2012 | Focus Theme: South Asia- Lives and Livelihood |Festival Director: Meghnath | Saratchandran Memorial Lecture: P.Sainath, Magsasay award winning journalist | Chief Guest of Inaugural Ceremony: Mallika Sarabhai, dancer and social activist | Inaugural film: Jai Bhim Comrade by Anand Patwardhan

There were five mini conferences on themes like State Fabrication Victimization and Civil Torture, Impact of Global Free Trade and Climatic Change on Livelihood, Women and Livelihood in South Asia, the Koodankulam Anti-Nuclear Agitation and Livelihood and Migration in South Asia. There was an exhibition on various social themes like Endosulfan pollution was there on all five days apart from food and craft stalls. 100 films from 20 countries were screened, and more than 50 filmmakers, including Francisco Taboda Tabone(Mexico), David Bradbury(Australia), Beate Peterson(Norway), Raymond Tan(Singapore), Someetharan (Srilanka), Anand Patwardhan, Sanjay Kak, Biju Toppo, Razi Muhamed, Nandan Saxena, Kavita Bahl, Navroze Contractor, Anjalie Monteiro, K P Jayasankar from India attended the festival.

8^th ViBGYOR, International Film Festival

Dates: February 07-12, 2013 | Focus Theme: Stolen Democracies | Festival Director: Kavitha Joshi | Chief Guest of Inaugural Ceremony:Saratchandran Memorial Lecture: Prof.Larbi Sadiki, Tunician writer, political scientist | Inaugural Film: Forbidden by Amal Ramsis (Egypt)

The Festival took off with the premier of FABRICATED by KP Sasi as a Curtain Raiser.. Renowned filmmaker Kavitha Joshi was the Festival Director this year. There were two retrospectives, on Kesang Tseten, the Nepali filmmaker and on Sameera Jain, well known editor and filmmaker from India. There were 3 Mini Conferences on ‘Stolen Democracies in South Asia: Conceptualising the sub-continental threat on Democracy’; on ‘Democracy and Development: the other directions’; and on ‘Democracy: Voices from the margins’. There was a special package of films called Uranium Film Festival (UFF), which showcased about 16 films. Filmmakers and activists like Kesang Tseten (Nepal), Karin Hayes (USA), Marcelo Bichara (Brazil), Pinnaya Zwata (Burma), Sirithunga Jayasuria (Sri Lanka), Sameera Jain and KP Sasi were some of the participants.

9^th ViBGYOR, International Film Festival

Dates: February 11-16, 2014 | Focus Theme: Gender Justice | Festival Director: P. Baburaj

1. Saratchandran Memorial Lecture: Dr.Selvi Thiruchandiran, academician & writer (Sri Lanka)

Retrospectives: Marc Achbar (Canada) & Deepa Dhanraj (India)

The festival started with the German film DEN ANDRA SPORTEN, a documentary on Swedish National Women’s hockey team, as a Curtain Raiser. Before the screening a local girls’ football team, which struggled to establish itself, was felicitated. A performance of ‘kalaripayatu’ by a group of girls followed. The festival was officially inaugurated with a performance “Gandhari”  by Asmitha, Hyderabad. The international retrospective was on Marc Achbar from Canada and national retrospective was on Deepa Dhanraj. Both the filmmakers were present in the festival. More than 100 films on the Focus theme, ViBGYOR theme package, Country Focus (Cuba), Kerala Spectrum, Focus Children, Pravasi package etc were screened. Mini conferences, music recitals, stage performances, exhibitions, etc were held as usual

10^th ViBGYOR, International Film Festival

Dates: February 16-21, 2015 | Focus Theme: Green?Growth | Festival Director: Surabhi Sharma

Chief Guest of Inaugural Ceremony: Cheruvayal Raman’, an adivasi farmer and a pioneer in conservation of indigenous seeds

1. Saratchandran Memorial Lecture: Pablo Solon Romero, the Executive Director of Focus on Global South (based in Bangkok)

Inaugural film: `To Singapore, with Love’ a film from Singapore, directed by Ms. Tan Pin Pin

Retrospective: Fauzia Khan (Bangladesh) & Altaf Mazid (India)

Films screened: 125 films from 27 countries

The chief guest of the inaugural ceremony was `Cheruvayal Raman’, an adivasi farmer (Kurichya tribe) from Wayanad, a pioneer in organic farming who has been cultivating and preserving scores of rare species of rice seeds. A Workshop on `Digital Filmmaking’ by Nandan Saxena and Kavita Bhal. About 40 filmmakers including Gary Marcuse (Canada), Fernanda Robinson (Mexico), Rami Hassoun (France), Altaf Mazid (Assam), Anand Patwardhan and RV Ramani. Mini conferences were on `Green Growth, No Growth: Seeking Alternatives’, `Unorganized Labourers in the New Growth Regimes’ and `Challenges to Public Democratic Spaces’. The last one became the highlight of this edition, where representatives of the Hindutva political organizations that attempted to disrupt the screening of a film during previous ViBGYOR Festival were invited. The campaign was on `Solidarity with Land Rights Struggles’.

11^th ViBGYOR, International Film Festival

Dates: April 06-10, 2016 | Focus Theme: Cultural Diversity |Festival Director: RP Amudhan

Chief Guest of Inaugural Ceremony: Ms. Richa Singh, the first woman chairperson of Student Union, Allahabad University

1. Saratchandran Memorial Lecture: Yogendra Yadav, politician, psephologist and academician.

Retrospective: Paromita Vohra

Declaring solidarity with the different resistance movements and peoples’ struggle across the nation, we picked an important campaign, `Free Debendra Sarangi’, (filmmaker and activist from North India) and presented the Campaign Statement in the Opening Ceremony. Out of the 95 films screened in this edition, a special highlight under the Focus theme was 6 curated film packages tilted `MANY Indias’ to underscore the diversity and heterogeneity of Indian culture. Mini Conference was on `Challenges to Diversity’ and Anvar Ali (poet and activist), Ambu Bhal (Amrutbhai Ratnabhai) from Gujarat, Richa Sing, Junuldhan Barla  (activist from JOHAR, Jharkhand) Josua Isaac Aazad from Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (Chennai) and Faisal (LGBT activist, Kerala) were the panelists. There were two cinematography workshops one by Sony and the other by Nikon.