Documentary film 'Women Of My Billion' to open Indian Film Festival of Melbourne

Women Of My Billion poster. Picture courtesy/PR

Documentary feature films are not just powerful sources of knowledge and information that help sharpen our brains and bring conversation fodder to the table with family and friends, but are also creative tools that help introduce us to new worlds and lifestyles which otherwise we'd probably have limited exposure to, hence enriching us with a greater perspective outside of our own personal experiences.

Director Ajitesh Sharma's documentary 'W.O.M.B' (Women Of My Billion) will open the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2021 on August 12. It is a story of a young woman named Srishti Bakshi who embarks on a journey, walking almost 4,000 kilometres over 240 days, from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, along the way meeting and learning first-hand about the experiences of women in all corners of India. The documentary explores the social and political issues faced by women of today's India.

Bakshi talking about it said, "Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation, and since the outbreak of Covid-19 and the world locking down to live within four walls, emerging data and reports from those on the frontlines have shown that all types of violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, has only intensified. In this documentary, we have celebrated ordinary women who've shown extraordinary courage to rise above their limitations and challenge deeply entrenched gender norms. We did this to unite the majority because what we discovered was that gender-based violence is a crime perpetrated by the minority but perpetuated by the silence of the majority." Producer Apoorva Bakshi added: "We take great pride in presenting our film at IFFM as the opening night gala presentation and look forward to sharing it with audiences worldwide. This documentary not only presents facts but also highlights possible solutions which can be implemented today."

Mitu Bhowmick Lange, IFFM Director, said, "After the unprecedented challenges faced over the last 18 months, we are excited to bring the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne back to the big screen, while our digital platform will ensure viewers around Australia can access the Festival too. In 2021, IFFM pays tribute to not only the best of Indian cinema, but to many of our Covid-19 heroes, offering vital community support, connection and hope in these troubled times." IFFM this year will take place both physically and virtually, with the physical festival running from August 12 to August 20 and the digital edition running from August 15 to August 30.

Producer Apoorva Bakshi, said, "We take great pride in presenting our film at IFFM as the opening night gala presentation and look forward to sharing it with audiences worldwide. This documentary not only presents facts but also highlights possible solutions which can be implemented today."

Caroline Pitcher, Film Victoria CEO: "Film Victoria is proud to be the principal partner of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. For over a decade, this incredible celebration of Indian film and culture has given Victorians the opportunity to engage with diverse and compelling screen stories, and it's wonderful that this year we can come together both in cinemas across Melbourne and online."