Second Illuminating Oppression film festival planned

Second Illuminating Oppression film festival plannedFebruary 16, 2004Cynthia J. Moritzcjmoritz@syr.edu

The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs’ South Asia Center, the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and Asha-Syracuse, in collaboration with The Asia Society Breakthrough, will present the second annual “Illuminating Oppression: A Film Festival on Human Rights in South Asia,” beginning Feb. 20. The festival will show a series of feature films, documentaries and music videos by well-known South Asian directors addressing issues of human rights and social justice in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the South Asian diaspora.

All screenings will take place in Huntington Beard Crouse Hall’s Gifford Auditorium and are free and open to the public. Screenings will be followed by discussion on the issues raised.

Prakash Jha, director of the festival’s first film, “GangaaJal” (The Holy Weapon), will attend the screening of his film. Jha is the award-winning Indian director of eight feature films, 25 documentaries and three television series. In 1985, Jha won the Golden Lotus, the highest national film award in India, for his first feature film, “Damul” (Bonded Until Death). In 2002, he won the Golden Lotus for Best Documentary for “Sonal,” a film on dancer Sonal Mansingh. In 2003, Jha was chair of the National Film Awards jury.

“GangaaJal,” a film on social justice that will be shown Feb. 20 from 5-8 p.m., is the story of a young, idealistic police officer who is posted to a small district in north India, and is determined to curb corruption in a town where frustrated citizens and a disillusioned police force continually lose the battle for justice. The film is loosely based on events that took place in 1979 in Bhagalpur, Bihar.

On Feb. 21, from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m, screenings will tackle the issue of children’s rights, with the films “Looking for Kannan,” directed by Sri Lanka’s Yasir Khan; “The Unseen” by Pallav Das of India; and “Swara” (A Bridge Over Troubled Water), by Samar Minallah of Pakistan. From 1:30-4 p.m., the festival will focus on identity and conflict with “The Living of Jogimara” by Nepali director Mohan Mainali; “A Certain Liberation” by Yasmine Kabir, of Bangladesh; and “Resilient Rhythms” by India’s Gopal Menon. From 5-7 p.m., women and power will take center stage with Indian director Anwar Jamaal’s “Swaraaj” (The Little Republic).

On Feb. 22 from 2-4:30 p.m., the festival will close with a look at civil strife in the form of “Kannathil Muthamittal” (A Peck on the Cheek), by Mani Ratnam of India.

For more information, contact the South Asia Center at 443-2553 or southasia@maxwell.syr.edu.