The Federation of Film Societies of India (FFSI) will celebrate International Women’s Day with an International Women’s Film Festival 2019 from 8 to 10 March throughout India.
The festival will be held in Kolkata, Guwahati, Imphal, Hyderabad, Pune, Bengaluru, Puducherry, Jamshedpur, Kolhapur, Madurai, Karimnagar, Mumbai as well as other cities, showcasing a mélange of internationally acclaimed films by woman filmmakers.
In Imphal, the FFSI, in collaboration with the Film Society of Manipur and the Manipur State Film Development Society, will organize the fest.
Meghachandra Kongbam, president of the Film Society of Manipur, said seven full-length feature films as well as a short film will be screened during the festival, which will be inaugurated by legendary actress Yengkhom Roma and M Lakshmikumar, commissioner of art and culture, Manipur, who will be the guest of honour, at the MSFDS Auditorium.
Kazakhstan’s short film Su (Water), directed by Aizhana Kassymbek, and Tajikistan romance Tasfiya (Purification), directed by Sharofat Arabova, will be the opening films.
On the following day, Meher Afroz Shaon’s Bangladeshi film Krishno Pokkho, based on a novel of famous Bangla novelist Humayun Ahmed, Reema Borah’s Assamese film Bokul, and Fowzia Fathima’s Malayalam film Nadiyude Moonaam Kara (Third Bank Of The River) will be screened.
On the last day, Sikta Biswas’s Bengali film Pather Sandhan (The Quest), based on renowned writer Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay’s story ‘Anusandhan’, Shahneoyai Cacoly’s Bangladeshi film Nodijon (The River Of Colours) and D Sumana Kittur’s Malayalam comedy film Kiragoorina Gayyaligalu (Rowdy Women Of Kiragooru) will be screened.
Kongbam has urged film scholars, critics, filmmakers, cinephiles, writers, theatre and other performing artistes, woman activists and art lovers to witness the festival and share the experience.
Haobam Paban Kumar, general secretary of the Film Society of Manipur, said they will organize film shows and festivals regularly.