First-ever Pravasi film fest to bridge diasporic divide

On Sunday,filmmakers Deepa Mehta,Prakash Jha,veteran director Basu Chatterjee and festival advisor Aruna Vasudev inaugurated the four-day movie fiesta (January 3 to 6) at the India Habitat Centre on Lodhi Road.

The festival kicked off with a family drama,Life Goes On,by London-based filmmaker Dr Sangeeta Dutta (PhD in History of Cinema). Tracing the journey of an Indian doctor bringing up three daughters singlehandedly in the UK,the film stars Sharmila Tagore and Soha Ali Khan,who were both present for an post-screening discussion.

The other screening scheduled during the inaugural day was a 25-minute documentary by Trinidad and Tobago-based filmmaker Patricia Mohammed,titled Coolie,Pink and Green. The film is a portrait of Indians who migrated to the Caribbean years ago and blended with the local culture.

Over the next three days,the festival will screen over 35 films in various categories — feature,non-feature,documentary and short — in an effort to promote NRI filmmakers and narrow the divide between them and the audiencein India.

“As this is the first year,we have avoided any centralised theme for the festival. All films have been chosen on a random basis keeping in mind that they have a connection with the Indian diaspora,” festival director Anil Joshi said.

Along the lines of another popular film festival in Delhi in October last year,Pravasi Film Festival will also feature panel discussions with directors after most film screenings. “This will help the audience understand the viewpoint of these filmmakers,and how they differ in their thinking from filmmakers in India,” added Joshi.

Besides critically acclaimed hits like New York,Monsoon Wedding,1947: Earth and The President is Coming the festival will also focus on films that highlight critical issues faced by the Indian community abroad. Entry is free.