Auro-Film Festival 2018
The three day Auro-Film Festival 2018, the ‘Panorama of Indian Cinema’ came to an end here in Auroville on Sunday evening. The event was organised at Bharat Nivas from February 16th to 18th.
The annual film festival screened several cinemas covering diverse aspects showcasing the most recent films from different states of India. Speaking to Surya, the core organiser of the film festival she says, “we have handpicked these films from the International Film Festival that was held in Goa by the Government of India and organised the event here in Auroville with the help of SAIIER.”
The following cinemas were screened during the Auro-Film Festival 2018:
Friday 16 February:
NEWTON Direc
A government clerk on election duty in the conflict ridden jungle of Central India tries his best to conduct free and fair voting despite the apathy of security forces and the looming fear of guerrilla attacks by communist rebels.
BALUTA Dire
A widow, mother to four daughters, is on her own without family support. Baluta is her struggle, bravery and most of all, the self-belief of a woman who defies all odds and stereotypes.
SHEPPERDHESS OF THE GLACIERS by Stanzin Dorjai Gya & Christiane Mordelet
A shepherdess lives in the far, out of reach valleys in Ladakh, and through her seriously Ladhaki/EST 1h.14’
hard life, her all consuming connection with her goats and her simple philosophical view on life… Truly magic.
Saturday 17 February:
THE WATERFALL Directed by Lipika Singh Darai
The evolution of a young city boy on a trip to his ancestral home in the interiors of the state of Orissa to appreciate the value of the environment as well as think critically about climate change and development.
RAILWAY CHILDREN Directed by Prithvi Konanur Kannada/EST
Inspired from Rescuing Railway Children that describes the lives of children that run away from their homes, live in railway stations and trains, and grow up as criminals, despite their intentions being harmless and seeking only to earn a living… The Cinematographer of the film might be present with us.
Sunday 18 February:
MANUSANGADA
Kolappan, a Dalit man, struggles to give his father a rightful burial. Will he succeed in bringing a change in the situation? Based on a real life incident.
MEGHNADBOD ROHOSYO Directed by Anik Dutta Be
Famous writer Pr. Asimavo Bose disappears under mysterious circumstances. All his allies including his wife Indrani, son Rick, step-daughter Guli, friend Elena and nephew Dheeman, have some motive of harming him. Asimavo has his own share of secrets that reveal his dark past… In the best Bengali whodunit tradition!
KSHITIJ – A HORIZON Directed by Manouj Kadaamh Marathi/EST
This is the story of a 12-year old girl’s struggle to continue her education in the face of severe adversity. Poverty forces her family to leave their village and go to a neighbouring town to work in sugarcane fields. The girl, Vacchi, continues to quietly find time to study amidst days filled with hard toil, much to the irritation of her father…
POORNA Direc
The real story of Poorna Malavath, a Telugu speaking tribal girl. Her talent is spotted in the institution she studies in. In 2014, Poorna scales the highest peak of Mount Everest and, aged 13 years and 11 months, becomes one of the youngest girl in the world to have reached the summit of Everest…