Sunday, January 02, 2011
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Madivala Lake Diaries: Part 1
Date: 19th of June, 2010
Place: Madivala Lake, Bangalore
No. of species of birds sighted: 10
Place: Madivala Lake, Bangalore
No. of species of birds sighted: 10
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Friday, May 07, 2010
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Unbuilding Blocks, unbloking Buildings 2010 at Aman Setu, Pune
http://whatsortofbehaviouristhis.blogspot.com/
and http://picasaweb.google.co.in/ridhidcruz4/AmanSetuCharcoal#
and http://picasaweb.google.co.in/ridhidcruz4/AmanSetuCharcoal#
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Candle-light vigil tomorrow in Bangalore for Bhopal Gas Tragedy
Remember Bhopal:
25 years of suffering, 25 years of courage!
In solidarity with Bhopal’s campaign for justice, join the citizens of Bangalore for
Candle Light Vigil,
A poetic tribute to the struggle, Photo-exhibition, Demands for Justice
On December 2nd, 2009
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
At Gandhi Statue, M.G. Road, Bangalore
About Bhopal: A few minutes past midnight on Dec 3, 1984, the world’s worst industrial disaster started to unfold. 27 tons of highly toxic gas (MIC) leaked out of a storage tank from Union Carbide’s pesticide factory in Bhopal leaving thousands of people dead and several thousand more maimed for life and generations to come.
For the survivors, it has been a battle for justice against huge Corporations who are escaping the liabilities through devious means and against Governments who are clearly out to protect the Corporations. An out of court settlement for a paltry compensation, severe ground water contamination, hiding of critical information needed to treat victims properly, bribery, stoppage of a scientific investigation, etc are just some of the series of misdeeds of the companies, Governments and their officials that have been unearthed during the 25 year old struggle.
As the fight for justice continues, supporters around the world remember Bhopal, its victims and its heroes on the anniversary of the tragedy – drawing strength from its struggle, renewing the inspiration to continue fighting for justice – for Bhopal and for many other Bhopals.
In solidarity with the campaign, citizens in Bangalore are gathering for a Candle-Light vigil and protest to pay a tribute to the victims and the heroes of the struggle, and also to highlight that the demands of the campaign be expeditiously met. It is also a reminder to Dow Chemical, Union Carbide, Govt. of India and all agencies and officials involved in denying & delaying justice, that as long as the suffering continues, the fight continues.
About ICJB: The International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal (ICJB) is a coalition of people's organizations, non-profit groups, and individuals who have joined forces to campaign for justice for the survivors of the Union Carbide Disaster in Bhopal. ICJB is led by three survivor organizations and includes thousands of supporters worldwide.
More info: www.bhopal.net, www.studentsforbhopal.org, www.thetruthaboutdow.org
Contact: Rohit (9731866211 / rohitism@gmail.com)
A friend's children's book launch
Dear All,
Apologies for the mass email. :)
A book I just finished on the river in Hampi is being launched this weekend at the Ambara in Jayanagar.
it's been written by Arshia Sattar and Illustrated by me :)
5th of November 4:30 pm.
Please bring as many kids as you know. Kidnap them if need be (I'm kidding obviously)
Its going to be a fun bookrelease. Hanuman dancers from hampi, Toymaking by Nilofer Suleman, A play by Kirtana Kumar's theatre group, a reading and tshirts and badges and more : )
Do come by. :) and if you can't make it (or can't find any children) then please do getyourself a copy. :)
Take care!
Lots of Love Always
Shilo
ps- To see more from the book log onto www.bonifisheii.blogspot.com
and spread the word! :)
Anti-POSCO rally needs contributions
Dear All,
4000 acres of fertile land under threat from South Korean steel giant, POSCO. The South Korean President is visiting India for Republic Day Parade, but finalizing the POSCO deal is definitely on the agenda. On the other hand, the people of Orissa, including fisherfolk, farmers, women, children are all coming out in protest, in a desperate bid to save their land, culture and livelihood.
In a last ditch effort of resistance, a mass rally is underway from 29th of November to 5th of December, where over 2000 people will march through 120 villages, holding public meetings at various strategic points. See http://orissaconcerns.net/ for more details.
They have hired 5 vehicles to host speakers, mobilize communities around the rally. Each vehicle charges a rental of Rs. 25,000 for a period of seven days. The organizers are falling short of this amount, as they have been taken up to meet expenses related to food, water and other basics of participants.
We request the people of Bangalore city to show solidarity and donate as much as possible to this cause.
Please send in your donations to Mr. Prasanta Kumar Paikray. Bank of India, Bhubaneswar Branch, Account number: 555010100005548. Address: Plot No. AY56, Unit 3, Sria Talkies Road, Bhubaneswar-1
Mr. Prasanta is the official spokesperson of POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samithi (PPSS) and has been nominated as the person to collect donations towards the campaign.
Please let us know the amount you have donated, so we can let the organizers know of it. We hope B'lore community rallies around quickly in this time of crisis and shows solidarity towards our brothers and sisters in Orissa who are flighting it out.
Apologies for short notice,
in solidarity
ekta
--
-this too shall pass-
From maraa.in
4000 acres of fertile land under threat from South Korean steel giant, POSCO. The South Korean President is visiting India for Republic Day Parade, but finalizing the POSCO deal is definitely on the agenda. On the other hand, the people of Orissa, including fisherfolk, farmers, women, children are all coming out in protest, in a desperate bid to save their land, culture and livelihood.
In a last ditch effort of resistance, a mass rally is underway from 29th of November to 5th of December, where over 2000 people will march through 120 villages, holding public meetings at various strategic points. See http://orissaconcerns.net/ for more details.
They have hired 5 vehicles to host speakers, mobilize communities around the rally. Each vehicle charges a rental of Rs. 25,000 for a period of seven days. The organizers are falling short of this amount, as they have been taken up to meet expenses related to food, water and other basics of participants.
We request the people of Bangalore city to show solidarity and donate as much as possible to this cause.
Please send in your donations to Mr. Prasanta Kumar Paikray. Bank of India, Bhubaneswar Branch, Account number: 555010100005548. Address: Plot No. AY56, Unit 3, Sria Talkies Road, Bhubaneswar-1
Mr. Prasanta is the official spokesperson of POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samithi (PPSS) and has been nominated as the person to collect donations towards the campaign.
Please let us know the amount you have donated, so we can let the organizers know of it. We hope B'lore community rallies around quickly in this time of crisis and shows solidarity towards our brothers and sisters in Orissa who are flighting it out.
Apologies for short notice,
in solidarity
ekta
--
-this too shall pass-
From maraa.in
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Protest at Cubbon Park, 30th Nov, 2009
From the Hasiru Usiru group
---
Hi all,
We all come together to protest in good faith, and secure in the hope that the State will not violate our Fundamental Rights. By and large this is the case.
Sometimes, however, certain vested interests collude with corrupt elements in the State and attack those who uphold the wider public interest.
It is important for us to be vigilant against such abuse of power.
Dinesh (HU moderator) and Vidhi were two peaceful protestors who were beaten up by pujaris of the Shankar Mutt in Bangalore as they were protesting the illegal felling of a tree in a park facing the Mutt.... along with many others. This incident happenned over five years ago, in broad daylight and in a very public way. I was elsewhere, was called, and rushed to the spot. By which time Dinesh and Vidhi had been rounded up by the Shankarpuram Police and taken to the police station.
Clearly they were victims of a terrible attack on their person and their human rights. The Sub Inspector then was more than keen to accuse them of all sorts of criminal actions, because of acute pressure from Mutt authorities. But decided not to proceed on filing this case because I argued that we would take this up in a very public way and to any forum to protect human rights of peaceful protestors against a wrongful act. Because the complaints were withdrawn, we left.
Couple of years later, Dinesh and Vidhi were rounded up by the police on the charge of attacking about ten pujaris of Shankar Mutt. Besides the fact this was impossible (unless they were some sort of Ninja warriors), it was clear that they were victims of gross abuse of power, corruption and collusion between Mutt authorities and the police. This case drags on... several years later.
Dinesh and Vidhi must have gone to the Criminal Court over five dozen times for hearings.... Now this has come for evidence. They are in Court today for the umpteenth time as I write this note.
Two requests:
1) Anyone who was present that day and witness to Dinesh and Vidhi being attacked by the pujaris could help them by stating so in Court.
2) And if you were not there, do send an email in support to Dinesh (dinesh@servelots.com) and Vidhi (vidhipartha@gmail.com).... just to let them know we have not forgotten them in their brave fight.
and, if at all you are very motivated...
3) Do go and be with them when the case comes up in the criminal court... It helps to know you are not alone when dealing with the debris of protests.
All this I share so we get more energised in our public actions to protect our rights, as Ananth Kumar, Rajeev Chandrashekar, et al continue in their efforts to make Bangalore a gated, security zone and police district.
I am also hoping that many many of you will join the protest on Monday at 4 pm at Queens Statue, Cubbon Park against ongoing efforts to fence public spaces from the public (of course barring the elite who will be given ID cards).
In solidarity...
Leo Saldanha
---
Hi all,
We all come together to protest in good faith, and secure in the hope that the State will not violate our Fundamental Rights. By and large this is the case.
Sometimes, however, certain vested interests collude with corrupt elements in the State and attack those who uphold the wider public interest.
It is important for us to be vigilant against such abuse of power.
Dinesh (HU moderator) and Vidhi were two peaceful protestors who were beaten up by pujaris of the Shankar Mutt in Bangalore as they were protesting the illegal felling of a tree in a park facing the Mutt.... along with many others. This incident happenned over five years ago, in broad daylight and in a very public way. I was elsewhere, was called, and rushed to the spot. By which time Dinesh and Vidhi had been rounded up by the Shankarpuram Police and taken to the police station.
Clearly they were victims of a terrible attack on their person and their human rights. The Sub Inspector then was more than keen to accuse them of all sorts of criminal actions, because of acute pressure from Mutt authorities. But decided not to proceed on filing this case because I argued that we would take this up in a very public way and to any forum to protect human rights of peaceful protestors against a wrongful act. Because the complaints were withdrawn, we left.
Couple of years later, Dinesh and Vidhi were rounded up by the police on the charge of attacking about ten pujaris of Shankar Mutt. Besides the fact this was impossible (unless they were some sort of Ninja warriors), it was clear that they were victims of gross abuse of power, corruption and collusion between Mutt authorities and the police. This case drags on... several years later.
Dinesh and Vidhi must have gone to the Criminal Court over five dozen times for hearings.... Now this has come for evidence. They are in Court today for the umpteenth time as I write this note.
Two requests:
1) Anyone who was present that day and witness to Dinesh and Vidhi being attacked by the pujaris could help them by stating so in Court.
2) And if you were not there, do send an email in support to Dinesh (dinesh@servelots.com) and Vidhi (vidhipartha@gmail.com).... just to let them know we have not forgotten them in their brave fight.
and, if at all you are very motivated...
3) Do go and be with them when the case comes up in the criminal court... It helps to know you are not alone when dealing with the debris of protests.
All this I share so we get more energised in our public actions to protect our rights, as Ananth Kumar, Rajeev Chandrashekar, et al continue in their efforts to make Bangalore a gated, security zone and police district.
I am also hoping that many many of you will join the protest on Monday at 4 pm at Queens Statue, Cubbon Park against ongoing efforts to fence public spaces from the public (of course barring the elite who will be given ID cards).
In solidarity...
Leo Saldanha
Friday, October 23, 2009
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Another new project kicks off :)
Hints: Walls, paint, art, street, community, space, public, COLOUR
link: http://bangalorewonderwall.blogspot.com/
link: http://bangalorewonderwall.blogspot.com/
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Monday, July 06, 2009
Documentaries available Online
The nuances of human trafficking By Rina Mukherji
Understanding Trafficking stresses the difference between women who
migrate and join the sex trade and women who are trafficked into the
sex trade More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200906247799/Film-Forum/Documentary/The-nuances-of-human-trafficking.html
Dangerous tastes By Pradeep Baisakh
With the first genetically modified food poised to enter the Indian
market, a timely documentary entitled Poison on the Platter shows how
little the Indian public knows about what it is consuming More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200906237800/Film-Forum/Documentary/Dangerous-tastes.html
How a mouse can change your life By Huned Contractor
The documentary film Chhoti Si Asha shows how teaching school dropouts
computer skills can help them find new livelihood opportunities
More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200905277764/Film-Forum/Documentary/How-a-mouse-can-change-your-life.html
The travails of Bagh Bahadur By Manjira Majumdar
Kaler Rakhal explores the cultural displacement and loss of livelihood
of West Bengal’s bahurupis (performing artists) in the time of
‘development’ More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200905127748/Film-Forum/Documentary/The-travails-of-Bagh-Bahadur.html
The politics of popular culture By Deepti Priya Mehrotra
By reconstructing the life of Rasoolan Bai, well-known tawaif and
thumri singer from Varanasi, The Other Song illustrates how romance
and physicality were obliterated from culture More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200904177694/Film-Forum/Documentary/The-politics-of-popular-culture.html
The mean seas By Rina Mukherji
The Centre for Science and Environment’s documentary, Mean Sea Level,
looks at the human tragedy behind the statistics of internal
displacement due to rising sea levels and erosion in the Sunderbans.
But, says the reviewer, for such an important and topical subject, the
film could have explored other angles and presented a more holistic
picture More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200903237665/Film-Forum/Documentary/The-mean-seas.html
Life is beautiful By Huned Contractor
C Vanaja’s award-winning film documents the grit and gumption of four
HIV-positive widows in Andhra Pradesh More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200902147611/Film-Forum/Documentary/Life-is-beautiful.html
Killing us slowly… By Huned Contractor
Sumit Khanna’s documentary Mere Desh Ki Dharti investigates pesticide
overuse in Punjab, and its deadly impact More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200901167568/Film-Forum/Documentary/Killing-us-slowly%E2%80%A6.html
Divisive colours of caste By Deepti Priya Mehrotra
A report on the discussion surrounding a recent screening of Umesh
Agarwal’s ‘Divided Colours of a Nation’ More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200810077421/Film-Forum/Documentary/Divisive-colours-of-caste.html
Dead end on the road to development By Deepti Priya Mehrotra
Three films screened at the PSBT Open Frame International Film
Festival in September critique the dominant development model by
examining the lives of three communities -- subsistence farmers in
Uttaranchal, the fisherfolk of Chilika, and Delhi’s ragpickers More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200810077420/Film-Forum/Documentary/Dead-end-on-the-road-to-development.html
Anjam By C K Meena
A discussion following a screening of Ajay TG’s film on Dr Binayak Sen
explored both, the increasing threat to human rights defenders, and
the increasing extremism amongst India’s economically and politically
disadvantaged adivasis More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200808187283/Film-Forum/Documentary/Anjam.html
More than a maid By Huned Contractor
Nishtha Jain’s documentary Lakshmi And Me explores the relationship
between two women -- mistress and maidservant More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200803066967/Film-Forum/Documentary/More-than-a-maid.html
When water kills By Huned Contractor
Two documentaries focus on pollution in UP’s Hindon river, and the
consequent health problems of the residents of the area More..
http://infochangeindia.org/200801306885/Film-Forum/Documentary/When-water-kills.html
.
Case of the mysterious flamingos By Huned Contractor
Ashima Narain's film on the flamingos of Sewri Bay, in Mumbai, is
unique in its attempts to explain why and how scores of these
magnificent birds flock to one of Mumbai's most polluted areas More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200801216836/Film-Forum/Documentary/Case-of-the-mysterious-flamingos.html
Worth more than a pinch of salt By Aparna Pallavi
Two films about the life and work of salt workers highlight the
problems of this sadly neglected sector More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200801146804/Film-Forum/Documentary/Worth-more-than-a-pinch-of-salt.html
Cinematic views on conflict By C K Meena
A recent film festival in Bangalore featured 14 films dealing with a
range of disputes and differences among family members, between
workers and management, across races, communities and countries. The
films revealed the similarities in the dynamics of conflicts ranging
from a local water dispute to a war between nations More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200711206689/Film-Forum/Documentary/Cinematic-views-on-conflict.html
Tracking the tiger By Huned Contractor
Krishnendu Bose’s Tiger -- The Death Chronicles -- examines the
failure of India’s efforts to protect the tiger. It also highlights
solutions More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200710166688/Film-Forum/Documentary/Tracking-the-tiger.html
Lightning rarely leaves a trace By Aseem Shrivastava
Amar Kanwar’s The Lightning Testimonies addresses the theme of public
rape in the South Asian sub-continent, how it is recorded and how it
is remembered, in an understated yet strongly haunting manner More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200709266687/Film-Forum/Documentary/Lightning-rarely-leaves-a-trace.html
Cleaners of the waste By Huned Contractor
The documentary Kachra Kondi, produced by Pune's municipal workers'
union, provides a shocking insight into the lives and work of
sanitation workers More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200707126288/Film-Forum/Documentary/Cleaners-of-the-waste.html
Flush and forget By Huned Contractor
Pradip Saha's Faecal Attraction follows water from the toilet to the
Ganga-Yamuna, throwing up several disturbing thoughts about the
disposal of human waste along the way More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200707126287/Film-Forum/Documentary/Flush-and-forget.html
Invasion and dissent By Max Martin
The Vibgyor film festival in Thrissur this May focused on invasions of
land, air, water and human rights, and on the dissenters whose voices
are seldom heard More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200705126285/Film-Forum/Documentary/Invasion-and-dissent.html
The grim legacy of war By Huned Contractor
Bangladeshi filmmaker Yasmine Kabir's A Certain Liberation simply
follows Durubhashi, a Bangladeshi woman who lost her family in the
1971 war. Along the way, the film makes a powerful statement on the
futility of war More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200705126284/Film-Forum/Documentary/The-grim-legacy-of-war.html
Save the Onges By Huned Contractor
A new documentary on the Onge tribals of the Andaman Islands explores
the death touch of civilisation More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200705126283/Film-Forum/Documentary/Save-the-Onges.html
The gods must be angry By Huned Contractor
Sanjay Barnela's Devta Activists explores the traditions of
conservation promoted by the deities of the Kulu valley and how these
traditions are losing ground to state-sponsored 'development' More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200703126282/Film-Forum/Documentary/The-gods-must-be-angry.html
BYOFF: Sun, sand and a bunch of interesting films By Huned Contractor
'Bring Your Own Film Festival', scheduled to kick off on February 21,
at Puri, in Orissa, has no room for hierarchy, bureaucracy or awards.
It's all about film appreciation with no boring add-ons More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200702126281/Film-Forum/Documentary/BYOFF-Sun-sand-and-a-bunch-of-interesting-films.html
The ends justify the means? By Amrita Shah
In the space of a year we have had two films --Rang De Basanti and
Guru -- which tread dangerously close to preaching anarchy More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200702126280/Film-Forum/Documentary/The-ends-justify-the-means.html
'A film about people, not religion' By Huned Contractor
Rahul Dholakia discusses his film Parzania, the true story of a boy
who goes missing in the midst of the Gujarat riots More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200701126279/Film-Forum/Documentary/-A-film-about-people-not-religion.html
The Yamuna gently weeps By Huned Contractor
Ruzbeh Bharucha's book and documentary film, Yamuna Gently Weeps, on
Delhi's Yamuna Pushta slum demolition, is the story of faulty urban
planning More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200611126278/Film-Forum/Documentary/The-Yamuna-gently-weeps.html
Celebrating the midwife By Huned Contractor
Delhi-based filmmaker Sameera Jain's documentary Born At Home focuses
on the skills and relevance of almost 1 million traditional midwives
or dais in India More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200609126277/Film-Forum/Documentary/Celebrating-the-midwife.html
After the flood By Huned Contractor
Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit's documentary on the July 2005 deluge in
Mumbai attempts to jolt Mumbai's civic administration out of its
slumber More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200607126276/Film-Forum/Documentary/After-the-flood.html
Thirst :: Struggles against the privatisation of water in Bolivia,
India and the US More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200603126275/Film-Forum/Documentary/Thirst.html
MANY PEOPLE, MANY DESIRES
Two films that explore the prejudices against sexual minorities and
commercial sex workers More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200602126274/Film-Forum/Documentary/MANY-PEOPLE-MANY-DESIRES.html
Youth for Bhopal
A student group from Delhi have made a film and published a report on
the continuing tragedy of the gas-affected in Bhopal More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200512126273/Film-Forum/Documentary/Youth-for-Bhopal.html
SheWrite
Four women poets in Tamil Nadu claim the inner and outer spaces of
their bodies for themselves. The self-celebrating author of The Vagina
Monologues would find her material completely up-staged here More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200512116272/Film-Forum/Documentary/SheWrite.html
On My Own By Arshia Sattar
India's metropolitan cities allow single women economic and
professional freedom. But the five single women from New Delhi
featured in this documentary find their personal freedom compromised
More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200512106271/Film-Forum/Documentary/On-My-Own.html
The Land of the Diggers By Arshia Sattar
In this film from Jharkhand, India, indigenous people talk about
themselves and their ancestors, their migrations and exiles, their
continued exploitation and marginalisation More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200512096270/Film-Forum/Documentary/The-Land-of-the-Diggers.html
The Indian Witch Hunt
Filmmaker Rakhi Varma's documentary on witch hunting was declared Best
Film at the ShowReal Asia 2 Awards, and has premiered on the National
Geographic channel. A report on the film, and an interview with the
filmmaker More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200512076269/Film-Forum/Documentary/The-Indian-Witch-Hunt.html
Work in Progress By Arshia Sattar
This film on the World Social Forum in Mumbai in 2004 is a neat and
comprehensive vehicle for disseminating the big ideas of the WSF
movement More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200512066268/Film-Forum/Documentary/Work-in-Progress.html
Warriors on Wheels & Manavya By Arshia Sattar
Two short films that show how alternative communities can be formed
and sustained
http://infochangeindia.org/200506116267/Film-Forum/Documentary/Warriors-on-Wheels-Manavya.html
Dwitiya Paksha
This feature film by Ananya Chatterjee Chakraborti charts the
evolution of an illiterate woman from a dummy panchayat president
elected under the 73rd amendment to a committed, responsible and
empowered leader
http://infochangeindia.org/200506116266/Film-Forum/Documentary/Dwitiya-Paksha.html
Where the twain shall meet By Arshia Sattar
This is a film about the dalits of Punjab and their embrace of Sufi
traditions More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200506116265/Film-Forum/Documentary/Where-the-twain-shall-meet.html
A middle-class dream of development By Sharmila Joshi
There are problems with the vision of development that the Hindi
feature film Swades promotes and its portrayal of the upper-caste
educated NRI as the harbinger of social change through quick-fix
solutions More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200504116264/Film-Forum/Documentary/A-middle-class-dream-of-development.html
My Migrant Soul By Arshia Sattar
Yasmine Kabir's film is a chilling reminder that under the glitz and
neon of the global economy lie buried the hopes and dreams (and
sometimes the bodies) of poor and desperate migrant workers More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200504116263/Film-Forum/Documentary/My-Migrant-Soul.html
The Great Indian School Show
185 TV cameras keep close watch on every movement of the students at a
Nagpur school. Filmmaker Avinash Deshpande's documentary questions the
impact such surveillance can have on students More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200504116262/Film-Forum/Documentary/The-Great-Indian-School-Show.html
Close encounters in the fast food nation
Morgan Spurlock's Academy Award-nominated Supersize Me! demonstrates
that junk food of the McDonald's kind will cost us our health and
sanity. But the film would have done well to go further and question
consumerist economies, the manufacture of consent and the power of
advertising More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200504116261/Film-Forum/Documentary/Close-encounters-in-the-fast-food-nation.html
The Rock Star and The Mullahs
As the religious right all over the world impinges upon cultural
freedom, a BBC documentary follows rock star Salman Ahmed of the
Pakistani band Junoon into northwest Pakistan, where the mullahs have
banned and silenced all music as un-Islamic More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200504116260/Film-Forum/Documentary/The-Rock-Star-and-The-Mullahs.html
Page 3 People
Madhur Bhandarkar's film reveals what goes on behind the gloss and
glamour with such gloss and glamour that it inadvertently ends up
glorifying the very ethos it sets out to critique More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200503116259/Film-Forum/Documentary/Page-3-People.html
Some Roots Grow Upwards: The Theatre of Ratan Thiyam
A timely film on the theatre of Ratan Thiyam explores the feeling of
oppression and injustice that pervades the psyche of the Manipuri
people More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200412116258/Film-Forum/Documentary/Some-Roots-Grow-Upwards-The-Theatre-of-Ratan-Thiyam.html
The Source of Life for Sale
Across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi,
local people speak out against commercial interests soaking up their
water resources More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200410116257/Film-Forum/Documentary/The-Source-of-Life-for-Sale.html
The City Beautiful (Sundar Nagari)
A fly-on-the-wall account of two families in a low-income
neighbourhood of New Delhi, living on the edge of globalisation, on
the edge of 'India shining'
http://infochangeindia.org/200409116256/Film-Forum/Documentary/The-City-Beautiful-Sundar-Nagari.html
Tales of the Night Fairies
A film about the confidence and vitality of Sonagachi's sex workers, a
charmed circle where women have control over their bodies, where they
choose their clients, and insist on the use of condoms
http://infochangeindia.org/200409116255/Film-Forum/Documentary/Tales-of-the-Night-Fairies.html
Miles To Go
A 6000-km bus journey documents several industrial and environmental
disaster zones in India
http://infochangeindia.org/200409116254/Film-Forum/Documentary/Miles-To-Go.html
Manjuben, Truck Driver
India's only female truck driver wants to travel and be free. And she
has found a way to live the life she wants
http://infochangeindia.org/200408116253/Film-Forum/Documentary/Manjuben-Truck-Driver.html
A Night of Prophecy
Amar Kanwar's film takes the viewer from Kashmir to Andhra Pradesh,
recording songs of oppression, pain, exclusion and marginalisation
More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200408116252/Film-Forum/Documentary/A-Night-of-Prophecy.html
Ladies Special/ A Pyramid of Women
Two recent films explore the supportive and assertive spaces that
women carve out for themselves in the metropolis of Mumbai More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200408116251/Film-Forum/Documentary/Ladies-Special/-A-Pyramid-of-Women.html
Naata /Ektaa Sandesh
Monteiro and Jayasankar’s Naata is about Bombay, and about Dharavi,
the city’s most economically efficient neighbourhood, but the heart of
the story lies with two extraordinary citizens, Waqar Khan and Bhau
Korde and the making of their film, Ekta Sandesh. More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200408106250/Film-Forum/Documentary/Naata-/Ektaa-Sandesh.html
Matrubhoomi - A Nation Without Women By Huned Contractor
Manish Jha's Matrubhoomi - A Nation Without Women, a futuristic story
about a village with no women, has created a storm with its
no-holds-barred presentation of female infanticide More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200408096249/Film-Forum/Documentary/Matrubhoomi-A-Nation-Without-Women.html
Unlimited Girls
A film that centres around a chat room filled with the voices of older
Indian feminists and younger urban women searching the ideologies of
feminism to find a room of their own More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200408086248/Film-Forum/Documentary/Unlimited-Girls.html
Development Flows From the Barrel of a Gun
This film presents and examines orchestrated state violence against
indigenous and local peoples when they protest against development
projects on their lands More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200408076247/Film-Forum/Documentary/Development-Flows-From-the-Barrel-of-a-Gun.html
In Dark Times
How fascism grows and takes over unsuspecting societies More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200408066246/Film-Forum/Documentary/In-Dark-Times.html
The Bee, the Bear and the Kuruba
A document of the displacement of indigenous lives, not by
‘development’ but by ‘eco’-development More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200408056245/Film-Forum/Documentary/The-Bee-the-Bear-and-the-Kuruba.html
Kol Tales
The Kols, a tribe that inhabits the badlands of Bundelkhand, struggle
with bonded labour, the fraudulent seizure of their lands and a
national democracy that does not seem to include them in any way at
all More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200408046244/Film-Forum/Documentary/Kol-Tales.html
Sita's Family
A portrait not simply of family dynamics, but of the spaces that women
must continually negotiate between the home and the world More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200408036243/Film-Forum/Documentary/Sita-s-Family.html
Words On Water
A film that explores the struggle of the people of the Narmada Valley
against the big dams that threaten to submerge their lands and
displace them from their homes, traditions and cultures More...
http://infochangeindia.org/200408026242/Film-Forum/Documentary/Words-On-Water.html
Source: Frederick Noronha (FN) on the bytesforall reader group
Understanding Trafficking stresses the difference between women who
migrate and join the sex trade and women who are trafficked into the
sex trade More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Dangerous tastes By Pradeep Baisakh
With the first genetically modified food poised to enter the Indian
market, a timely documentary entitled Poison on the Platter shows how
little the Indian public knows about what it is consuming More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
How a mouse can change your life By Huned Contractor
The documentary film Chhoti Si Asha shows how teaching school dropouts
computer skills can help them find new livelihood opportunities
More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
The travails of Bagh Bahadur By Manjira Majumdar
Kaler Rakhal explores the cultural displacement and loss of livelihood
of West Bengal’s bahurupis (performing artists) in the time of
‘development’ More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
The politics of popular culture By Deepti Priya Mehrotra
By reconstructing the life of Rasoolan Bai, well-known tawaif and
thumri singer from Varanasi, The Other Song illustrates how romance
and physicality were obliterated from culture More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
The mean seas By Rina Mukherji
The Centre for Science and Environment’s documentary, Mean Sea Level,
looks at the human tragedy behind the statistics of internal
displacement due to rising sea levels and erosion in the Sunderbans.
But, says the reviewer, for such an important and topical subject, the
film could have explored other angles and presented a more holistic
picture More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Life is beautiful By Huned Contractor
C Vanaja’s award-winning film documents the grit and gumption of four
HIV-positive widows in Andhra Pradesh More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Killing us slowly… By Huned Contractor
Sumit Khanna’s documentary Mere Desh Ki Dharti investigates pesticide
overuse in Punjab, and its deadly impact More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Divisive colours of caste By Deepti Priya Mehrotra
A report on the discussion surrounding a recent screening of Umesh
Agarwal’s ‘Divided Colours of a Nation’ More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Dead end on the road to development By Deepti Priya Mehrotra
Three films screened at the PSBT Open Frame International Film
Festival in September critique the dominant development model by
examining the lives of three communities -- subsistence farmers in
Uttaranchal, the fisherfolk of Chilika, and Delhi’s ragpickers More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Anjam By C K Meena
A discussion following a screening of Ajay TG’s film on Dr Binayak Sen
explored both, the increasing threat to human rights defenders, and
the increasing extremism amongst India’s economically and politically
disadvantaged adivasis More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
More than a maid By Huned Contractor
Nishtha Jain’s documentary Lakshmi And Me explores the relationship
between two women -- mistress and maidservant More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
When water kills By Huned Contractor
Two documentaries focus on pollution in UP’s Hindon river, and the
consequent health problems of the residents of the area More..
http://infochangeindia.org/
.
Case of the mysterious flamingos By Huned Contractor
Ashima Narain's film on the flamingos of Sewri Bay, in Mumbai, is
unique in its attempts to explain why and how scores of these
magnificent birds flock to one of Mumbai's most polluted areas More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Worth more than a pinch of salt By Aparna Pallavi
Two films about the life and work of salt workers highlight the
problems of this sadly neglected sector More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Cinematic views on conflict By C K Meena
A recent film festival in Bangalore featured 14 films dealing with a
range of disputes and differences among family members, between
workers and management, across races, communities and countries. The
films revealed the similarities in the dynamics of conflicts ranging
from a local water dispute to a war between nations More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Tracking the tiger By Huned Contractor
Krishnendu Bose’s Tiger -- The Death Chronicles -- examines the
failure of India’s efforts to protect the tiger. It also highlights
solutions More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Lightning rarely leaves a trace By Aseem Shrivastava
Amar Kanwar’s The Lightning Testimonies addresses the theme of public
rape in the South Asian sub-continent, how it is recorded and how it
is remembered, in an understated yet strongly haunting manner More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Cleaners of the waste By Huned Contractor
The documentary Kachra Kondi, produced by Pune's municipal workers'
union, provides a shocking insight into the lives and work of
sanitation workers More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Flush and forget By Huned Contractor
Pradip Saha's Faecal Attraction follows water from the toilet to the
Ganga-Yamuna, throwing up several disturbing thoughts about the
disposal of human waste along the way More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Invasion and dissent By Max Martin
The Vibgyor film festival in Thrissur this May focused on invasions of
land, air, water and human rights, and on the dissenters whose voices
are seldom heard More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
The grim legacy of war By Huned Contractor
Bangladeshi filmmaker Yasmine Kabir's A Certain Liberation simply
follows Durubhashi, a Bangladeshi woman who lost her family in the
1971 war. Along the way, the film makes a powerful statement on the
futility of war More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Save the Onges By Huned Contractor
A new documentary on the Onge tribals of the Andaman Islands explores
the death touch of civilisation More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
The gods must be angry By Huned Contractor
Sanjay Barnela's Devta Activists explores the traditions of
conservation promoted by the deities of the Kulu valley and how these
traditions are losing ground to state-sponsored 'development' More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
BYOFF: Sun, sand and a bunch of interesting films By Huned Contractor
'Bring Your Own Film Festival', scheduled to kick off on February 21,
at Puri, in Orissa, has no room for hierarchy, bureaucracy or awards.
It's all about film appreciation with no boring add-ons More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
The ends justify the means? By Amrita Shah
In the space of a year we have had two films --Rang De Basanti and
Guru -- which tread dangerously close to preaching anarchy More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
'A film about people, not religion' By Huned Contractor
Rahul Dholakia discusses his film Parzania, the true story of a boy
who goes missing in the midst of the Gujarat riots More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
The Yamuna gently weeps By Huned Contractor
Ruzbeh Bharucha's book and documentary film, Yamuna Gently Weeps, on
Delhi's Yamuna Pushta slum demolition, is the story of faulty urban
planning More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Celebrating the midwife By Huned Contractor
Delhi-based filmmaker Sameera Jain's documentary Born At Home focuses
on the skills and relevance of almost 1 million traditional midwives
or dais in India More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
After the flood By Huned Contractor
Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit's documentary on the July 2005 deluge in
Mumbai attempts to jolt Mumbai's civic administration out of its
slumber More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Thirst :: Struggles against the privatisation of water in Bolivia,
India and the US More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
MANY PEOPLE, MANY DESIRES
Two films that explore the prejudices against sexual minorities and
commercial sex workers More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Youth for Bhopal
A student group from Delhi have made a film and published a report on
the continuing tragedy of the gas-affected in Bhopal More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
SheWrite
Four women poets in Tamil Nadu claim the inner and outer spaces of
their bodies for themselves. The self-celebrating author of The Vagina
Monologues would find her material completely up-staged here More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
On My Own By Arshia Sattar
India's metropolitan cities allow single women economic and
professional freedom. But the five single women from New Delhi
featured in this documentary find their personal freedom compromised
More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
The Land of the Diggers By Arshia Sattar
In this film from Jharkhand, India, indigenous people talk about
themselves and their ancestors, their migrations and exiles, their
continued exploitation and marginalisation More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
The Indian Witch Hunt
Filmmaker Rakhi Varma's documentary on witch hunting was declared Best
Film at the ShowReal Asia 2 Awards, and has premiered on the National
Geographic channel. A report on the film, and an interview with the
filmmaker More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Work in Progress By Arshia Sattar
This film on the World Social Forum in Mumbai in 2004 is a neat and
comprehensive vehicle for disseminating the big ideas of the WSF
movement More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Warriors on Wheels & Manavya By Arshia Sattar
Two short films that show how alternative communities can be formed
and sustained
http://infochangeindia.org/
Dwitiya Paksha
This feature film by Ananya Chatterjee Chakraborti charts the
evolution of an illiterate woman from a dummy panchayat president
elected under the 73rd amendment to a committed, responsible and
empowered leader
http://infochangeindia.org/
Where the twain shall meet By Arshia Sattar
This is a film about the dalits of Punjab and their embrace of Sufi
traditions More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
A middle-class dream of development By Sharmila Joshi
There are problems with the vision of development that the Hindi
feature film Swades promotes and its portrayal of the upper-caste
educated NRI as the harbinger of social change through quick-fix
solutions More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
My Migrant Soul By Arshia Sattar
Yasmine Kabir's film is a chilling reminder that under the glitz and
neon of the global economy lie buried the hopes and dreams (and
sometimes the bodies) of poor and desperate migrant workers More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
The Great Indian School Show
185 TV cameras keep close watch on every movement of the students at a
Nagpur school. Filmmaker Avinash Deshpande's documentary questions the
impact such surveillance can have on students More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Close encounters in the fast food nation
Morgan Spurlock's Academy Award-nominated Supersize Me! demonstrates
that junk food of the McDonald's kind will cost us our health and
sanity. But the film would have done well to go further and question
consumerist economies, the manufacture of consent and the power of
advertising More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
The Rock Star and The Mullahs
As the religious right all over the world impinges upon cultural
freedom, a BBC documentary follows rock star Salman Ahmed of the
Pakistani band Junoon into northwest Pakistan, where the mullahs have
banned and silenced all music as un-Islamic More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Page 3 People
Madhur Bhandarkar's film reveals what goes on behind the gloss and
glamour with such gloss and glamour that it inadvertently ends up
glorifying the very ethos it sets out to critique More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Some Roots Grow Upwards: The Theatre of Ratan Thiyam
A timely film on the theatre of Ratan Thiyam explores the feeling of
oppression and injustice that pervades the psyche of the Manipuri
people More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
The Source of Life for Sale
Across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi,
local people speak out against commercial interests soaking up their
water resources More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
The City Beautiful (Sundar Nagari)
A fly-on-the-wall account of two families in a low-income
neighbourhood of New Delhi, living on the edge of globalisation, on
the edge of 'India shining'
http://infochangeindia.org/
Tales of the Night Fairies
A film about the confidence and vitality of Sonagachi's sex workers, a
charmed circle where women have control over their bodies, where they
choose their clients, and insist on the use of condoms
http://infochangeindia.org/
Miles To Go
A 6000-km bus journey documents several industrial and environmental
disaster zones in India
http://infochangeindia.org/
Manjuben, Truck Driver
India's only female truck driver wants to travel and be free. And she
has found a way to live the life she wants
http://infochangeindia.org/
A Night of Prophecy
Amar Kanwar's film takes the viewer from Kashmir to Andhra Pradesh,
recording songs of oppression, pain, exclusion and marginalisation
More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Ladies Special/ A Pyramid of Women
Two recent films explore the supportive and assertive spaces that
women carve out for themselves in the metropolis of Mumbai More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Naata /Ektaa Sandesh
Monteiro and Jayasankar’s Naata is about Bombay, and about Dharavi,
the city’s most economically efficient neighbourhood, but the heart of
the story lies with two extraordinary citizens, Waqar Khan and Bhau
Korde and the making of their film, Ekta Sandesh. More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Matrubhoomi - A Nation Without Women By Huned Contractor
Manish Jha's Matrubhoomi - A Nation Without Women, a futuristic story
about a village with no women, has created a storm with its
no-holds-barred presentation of female infanticide More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Unlimited Girls
A film that centres around a chat room filled with the voices of older
Indian feminists and younger urban women searching the ideologies of
feminism to find a room of their own More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Development Flows From the Barrel of a Gun
This film presents and examines orchestrated state violence against
indigenous and local peoples when they protest against development
projects on their lands More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
In Dark Times
How fascism grows and takes over unsuspecting societies More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
The Bee, the Bear and the Kuruba
A document of the displacement of indigenous lives, not by
‘development’ but by ‘eco’-development More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Kol Tales
The Kols, a tribe that inhabits the badlands of Bundelkhand, struggle
with bonded labour, the fraudulent seizure of their lands and a
national democracy that does not seem to include them in any way at
all More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Sita's Family
A portrait not simply of family dynamics, but of the spaces that women
must continually negotiate between the home and the world More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Words On Water
A film that explores the struggle of the people of the Narmada Valley
against the big dams that threaten to submerge their lands and
displace them from their homes, traditions and cultures More...
http://infochangeindia.org/
Source: Frederick Noronha (FN) on the bytesforall reader group
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Bengaluru Gay Pride Parade 28th June, 2009
The three of us friends gathered at National College at 2.15 in the afternoon. It was sunny and the pockets of people already gathered there didn't portend the coming festivities.
As people strolled in, a few began to pull out colourful umbrellas, wigs, hats, flags and masks and within a few minutes I found myself surrounded by rainbows. Slowly, the media began to jostle and shove its way through for sound bytes and photographs.
The MOST vibrant lot were the transgenders. They displayed their sexuality with such flamboyance I was transfixed for many a moment.
The drummers arrived shortly after ward and then there was mild mayhem as people gyrated their hips and raised their hands towards the skies in utter enjoyment.
I felt my pulse begin to race and a smile creep up from the corner of my lips. It was so infectious that I had found it difficult to walk while tapping my feet to the rhythm of the drummers.
Three djembe players then performed intricately weaved beats in perfect synchrony as the two dogs in the car behind them looked on in mild confusion. :)
The march began and so did the sloganeering. At some points, people didn't even know what to say into the microphone. They were too busy enjoying themselves.
After much dancing, shouting, waving and photographing, we reached our destination - Town Hall and the gathering turned to listen to a few words from various members of the LGBT community.
In the middle of this, I noticed some magicians gathered at the Town Hall as well. A substantial number of activists and LGBTs went across to see what they were upto while a throng of avid magic lovers came over to see what these people in strrraange get ups were doing. Quite fascinating to watch such different sets of people mingle. Magicians and LGBTs :)
A small disagreement broke out and was quickly drowned by the voices of people, the cheering of the crowd and the drummers' intoxicating beat.
Then one final dance and almost as suddenly as it had erupted, it was all over. Brightly coloured feathers rode the gentle breezes to reach the other side of the road and silence embraced me once again as I tried to collect my thoughts on the event I had just been a part of.
We jumped into an auto and headed back home, completely exhausted and happy that we had participated in something as vibrant as this.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
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