Beyond Five Rivers

Short & thought provoking – the documentary film festival was organised by Punjab Virasat Foundation at Panjab University’s English Auditorium today stirred quite a reaction from its audience. With Vipin Pubby Resident Editor,The Indian Express and special guest thespian Gursharan Singh,the festival saw the screening of three documentaries: ‘Five Rivers & Still Thirsty’ by Simran Kaler,‘Main Han Bhagat Singh’ by Amandeep Singh and ‘Why…We are Killing Our Daughters’ by Anureet Kaur. While Five Rivers initiated a dialogue on the current water problem of Punjab including a falling water table and polluted rivers,Bhagat Singh by Amandeep panned the camera on the other side of the martyr – one who was a philosopher,thinker,guide and visionary. Currently working as Manager Operations with Conjoinix Technologies Pvt Ltd,Anureet’s film brought to attention the rising problem of female foeticide while making a comment on the hypocrite society.

Initiating a dialogue on the issues Punjab is facing,Gursharan Singh expressed that there is nothing that can’t be solved. “There is a solution to every problem,we can’t just talk about it. There has to be the will and passion to go ahead and so something about it,” he said. According to Vipin Pubby, documentary’s biggest challenge is to make it interesting and crisp. “It has to engage the viewer’s interest and give ample information at the same time,” he congratulating the Foundation on their effort. As part of the festival,a competition was also held to choose the best documentary,and the winners are: First place was bagged by Kirti Sharma from MCM Dav for ‘Son of the Land’,and second prize went to GCG 42’s Rakhi for ‘The Cry of Youth in Face of their Destiny’.