08 March,2010 10:53 AM IST | | Kasmin Fernandes
A screening of five shorts by women directors, will celebrate femininity in all its gut and glory
From Kathryn Bigelow's Osar-nominated The Hurt Locker to Lone Sherfig's BAFTA-winning An Education, women are thriving behind the camera. Women making waves in Hollywood are Sam Taylor-Wood with Nowhere Boy, Andrea Arnold with her Fish Tank and veteran filmmaker Jane Campion with Bright Star. Yet, cinema behind the scenes continues to be male-dominated.
"Women make more short films than men, though," says short film club Shamiana founder Cyrus Dastur. The film club pays tribute to womanhood on International Women's Day with a special screening of five diverse shorts with one common thread -- all of them are made by women. The nostalgic Eros preview theatre will come alive on March 8, with an award-winning Bengali love story, a Tamil short and one by Channel [V] VJ Kim Jagtiani. War is the backdrop for two entries -- a docu on war widows and a fictional Italian piece.
Italian filmmaker Elizabeth Bernardini makes magic in La Ritirata (Retreating). It's a true love story of two adolescents caught in the trappings of World War II in a small Italian village. "The film couldn't have been as beautiful had it not been for a woman in the director's chair," says Cyrus.
Fall in love with the National Award-winning Laal Juto. The 23-minute Bengali film deals with a teen's journey into maturity in the backdrop of bustling Kolkatta. The film won the National Award for Best First Non-Feature Film of a director and Best Creative Idea at the 11th Shanghai International Film Festival 2009.
Produced by the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), it was the lone Indian entry at the festival. SRFTI student Shweta Merchant who directed the film based on a short story by Bong author Kamal Kumar Mazumdar, wears her accolades lightly. "Anyone who wants to fall in love should watch the film," she says mysteriously.u00a0
Too many cooks spoil the broth. Broken Bangles directed by seven women suffers no such fate. Munira, Priya, Shvveta, Mithila, Digantika, Ankita and Shruti have made a startling 16-minute documentary about the way we treat our war widows. One day could change your life depends on who you meet is the tagline of Abhilasha's compassionate Tamil film Ore Oru Naal. For veejay Kim Jagtiani, "Life can sometimes be a square and you may be back to square 'one' without even knowing it." The line sums up her sweet black-and-white The Square of Life. Back to square one, are we?u00a0
On March 8 at 6.30 pm
At Eros Preview Theatre, opposite Churchgate Station.
Call 9833031228/9833671313u00a0 for passes
