On the occasion of The International Day of the Woman, PROJECT SMITA SOCIETY, organised a unique festival of short films, made by women filmmakers from around the world on the issues relating to the “Status Of Woman”. The three-day festival was organised in association with the DOORS - The Motion Picture Company. The well-known television producer-director team of Raman Kumar and Vinta Nanda under the aegis of PROJECT SMITA SOCIETY, an NGO founded by the duo with the view to reach out especially to the women of the country along with the issues related to them. The venue of the festival was “The Club” and it started on March 8 and went on till March 10. Each day eight films were shown. The festival showcased 23 films made by these women filmmakers who represented different countries. Vinta Nanda represented India.

DAY 1:

Moving On/Rep. of Ireland/Growth
The first day started off in a very unique way, instead of lighting the traditional diya, the festival kicked off with the screen of a very touching and inspiring short film made by a Brazilian director called The Thin Line. This film showed how a 65-year-old woman, Brazilian rag picker had embraced life and was looking after her three grand-daughters and facing the hardships of life with a smile.

No Safe Place/South Africa/Abuse-Violence
After rejecting a boyfriend a girl is destroyed for lifetime.
Actually a woman can be molested anywhere and by anyone and is unsafe. The rape scene is not meant to titillate but low key lighting effectively portrays the trauma behind it without portraying the woman as a sex and allegory established. The sound effects further evoke tsks and aahas from the audience. Sympathy wave continues when the protagonist narrates the incident and the camera exposes her mutilated organs. Bad cosmetic surgery done on her shows no economic support from the government and their callous attitude. In one scene she unlocks an iron gate, gets inside and locks the world out. A mutilated live soul exists in the African continent.

Woman & Time/Germany/Women in Media
Contemporary film where women are juggling between home and career and can’t figure which to put first.

The trainee gives three hours to her two children which would put today’s modern woman to shame cause the quality time is receding.

The comment where woman has to look good, have a great figure earn and to top it smile all the time, sounded applicable to all of us.

Maybe there should have been a word of caution in the end not to go against biology and excellence is not possible in all roles but important to live life completely. The change required is in psychology and not biology.

The opening shot has the minutes and hour hands running furiously or shall I say marching forward. Effective closing line is march forward...

Feminine side of TV/Austria/Women in Media
Empathising film for media women. A woman carrying a portable TV opens the film and crux of it as such. Now TV also has gender! A newsreader says she is no different from a man but has to apply makeup but is that also not discrimination? That too should be optional. Backdrop of TV or edit machine is appropriate while the interviews are conducted.

AMY The Two Year Ruling No 5 AMY The Two Year Ruling/Sweden/Sexual buse
Constant rolling of tears renders her never ending sorrow a meaning. She is a symbol of all naive women who give into marriage thinking to be lifetimes secure life but in turn get pain only. Here the marriage requires a permit and I wonder if the filmmaker is African or Swedish and then decide on her guts. (By the way where are the profiles of the filmmakers showcased?) A good attempt to raise legal operations which are gender biased.

The dropping of letters is an innovative narrative technique to show the threats the protagonist received.

A Thin Line/Brazil/Growth
Was there really a thin line through out the film or was it bad print resembling that of currency note?

Facts of Brazil stated in graphics connected by the visual theme being economic contribution of women is not taken into account and other socio economic condition. It is true to all developing countries that there labour is unpaid and not accounted for in the national income.

All Women Work/Mexico/Discrimination
It is taken for granted that women have to work. Nice shot of the woman with a black sheep next to her. The two girls playing with cardboard doll are used as entry and exit points. An old woman combing long gray hair depicts that somethings remain unchanged.

New Media Women/New Zealand/Women in Media
A lot of women Asians particularly talking about Information Technology and its appropriate use in order to empower women. The media is not the press or TV but Information Technology which is increasingly becoming an effective means of mass communicatiion and can be used to spread more awareness. A professional had a valuable tip that the websites should be in the national languages too.

DAY 2:

Trafficking of Women/Lithuania/Sexual Abuse
All roads leading nowhere, constant moving shots of the road establishes that women are transported like goods. Talking of prostitution there is a shot of a international model on a poster. Maybe the filmmaker has a point in this (casting couch).

The causes and the effects of sexual abuse is brought forward such as unemployment and lack of marital security etc.

Also, low key light used to interview an affected girl but the statue of goddesses is well lit, well designed.

The way the cops push the girls into the van even an animal would object!
The irony is that the prostitute is punished but the man goes scot free. The fact that the country has no NGO for exploitation. International bodies should come forward as there are stricter laws in trafficking of animal (ref. World Wild Life Fund).

The Invisible Old/England/Discrimination
The humour in pain is effectively used. The old lady has self respect written on her wrinkled face.

She collects the penny first from the bank and then the pounds. Now it’s a case of penny wise and pounds wiser.

Telling the plight of the senior citizens and their despair, it is a sad film. On the poster is a young hand holding an old one. The message is for those with more pepper than salt in their hair, that value your srnior.

The filmmaker Sarah Cole concluded the film “Everybody has to get old someday...” was rather moving.

Senegal - A break with Tradition/Norway/Basic Status of Women
The fact that an European has made a film on a third world country signifies the sensitivity of a woman filmmaker for her sisters.

Circumcision is done in these Islamic tribes without proper sanitation. The cause though not mentioned in the film is that the female has no right to enjoy sex, I wonder if there is a human right on the matter?

The UN official expresses that women should develop critical and analytical thinking skills and there is a point in this.

The Afro folk music depicts the fun and frolic in women and the desire to live life to its fullest.

The girls cheering boys is no different from their American counterparts. Nor is childhood then why punish the poor girls and make their reproductive lives so miserable?

I have read a fiction novel on this subject, probably Daniel Steele.

Sex with Angels/Spain/Sexual Abuse
This is a blatant picture of the fact that the Government turns a blind eye where it sees its own benefit. The tourism is thriving in Caribbean because it’s a sexual outlet for many other nationals and minor girls being most vulnerable to fall into the trap. The filmmaker has protected the identity of all speakers and the causes are well defined.

Maybe the issue of AIDS could have been raised. But the hint of vocational guidance is very appropriate cure towards a decent livelihood.

Moroccan Women - Break Their Silence/Belgium/Growth
The divorce law favours the man and even religion is twisted to suit a man’s needs. All Islamic countries should form an association to rectify this.
The sketch of women showing locked and zipped mouth (animation) morphing into a girl reciting the Koran is symbolic of the Moroccan Women breaking silence.

Where are the Women/France/Basic Status of Women
Very interesting opening of the film with women colleagues trying to find a picture of a woman in a glossy magazine (blue chip) and when they do, its one of a model (object) and one daddy’s little girl. The gender bias is also in the corporate world. The hierarchy shows how few women make it to the top, because they are ignorant of their rights like equal wages for equal work and most often don’t ask for it! Information is power and all women should work towards being informed.

The element of humour of a colleague showing a mirror image in the magazine effectively concludes the film on a positive note.

DAY 3:

Bad Dreams/Czech Republic/Sexual Abuse
This was the longest film in the package 23.20 minutes.

The subject again being sexual abuse. Violence and gender bias and surely the victims would like to forget everything like a bad dream. It is always difficult to prove a man guilty and the irony is that the customer expepcts a prostitute to be a virgin maybe it is question of proving his masculinity rather than satisfying his sexual desires.

Again, the UN stresses on thinking analytically about their rights.

There is a mention of agony of having sex with a stranger.

The message is for the government that needs to look into basic social needs.
A film by Jan Movok.

A Woman Afar
The most inspiring film of the package.

Yes most of the time women do not rise to higher positions because they are not sure of themselves.

The story of how a cleaning lady becomes the owner of her company was indeed motivating. But what is more important is to remember that chance favours those who are prepared. The reason she succeeds is that she was damn good at her job and had good relationship with her clients. (There is a good shot where she runs her hand on the window-sill depicting her as a perfectionist). The protagonist is black and the backdrop is Holland. She had one big point in her favour. A supporting husband!

What’s interesting are the views of a teenage girl wanting both a family and a career.

Mine or No Ones/Spain/Sexual Abuse
How a woman rebuilds her life after facing her man’s anger and violence is indeed a good attempt. The beautiful paintings drawn by the protagonist with a brush held in her mouth are a visual relief. The film questions the male power game but offers no solution. This applies to 90 per cent of all the films showcased.

Woman With a Stake in Columbia/Columbia/Growth
The importance of psychosocial therapy is to bring peace.
And finally the woman have taken the responsibility. They are ..... finding meaning in life. There is a reference to the candles being lit in the opening scene.

Pretty Baby/Scotland/Basic Status of Women
Very disturbing issue of teenage pregnancy. When a woman is a baby herself how can she cope with dual responsibility? The voluntary organisation are giving them the best aid possible. Educating them and thus saving the future of the next generation. Shots of cute babies make up any talk and views.

Women at the Top/Caribbean/Women in Media
The entry and exit points of the film is a woman lawyer. The message still doesn’t have to say that a woman can be at par with men. Better to behave like a man or even dress like one. The keynote being that women at the top need to support female counterparts if they have to progress in a holistic movement.

Selling Women/Lativa/Sexual Abuse
Only film which had an interview on tape.
The film unfolds in an interesting pattern about the cause of sexual abuse.
The girls need a job and apply for a waitress, nanny, or a dancer. The lure of money and a better life style pushes them towards the flesh trade.
The Lativian gender crisis center deals with this problem.

Vaastav -The Reality Basic Status of Women
The best and the most thought-provoking of the lot. (NON)Status of women is largely governed by relition. The film deals with almost all causes - dowry system, the shariyat and law (interesting arguments with no female around captured on camera) child marriages, virgin widows, abandoned widows...

The most contemporary issue raised was the absurd sex ration in the village Dhaunpur especially since the government is conducting the Census pointing toward female infanticide.

Key highlight.
1. Good attempt to showcase the cause.
2. Good response from audience and serious that too.
3. The organisers seemed to be passionate about the cause.
4. Schedule of screening followed as printed.

Recommendations.
1. The audience could have been heterogeneous from all walks of life.
2. Academicians like that from “Centre of Women” studies could have been invited.
3. The films chosen had a tendency to be repetitive both in term of theme and treatment. There are animation films on the subject made by UNICEF, would have been a visual relief.
4. A film with a positive note and other aspects of a woman could have found a place on the last day atleast.
5. NGO like this can attempt to work in coalition with GO in order to go somewhere cause that’s where the funds are obilised, maybe an invitation ministry of women and family welfare could benefit this - PROJECt SMITA and others.