December, for quite a lot of folks in Kerala, is a holiday to the capital. A long-planned week to visit the theatres in Thiruvananthapuram, hop from one movie to another for the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). But this time, it just so happens that there is a tiny four-day fest just before the popular IFFK, also happening in December, from 1st to 4th. The sixth edition of the Female Film Festival (FFF) organised by the Kerala Sthree Padana Kendram has the likes of Kamal, Urvashi coming for the inauguration. “Let the route to the IFFK be through the FFF,” says a laughing Girija Bai, state executive member of the Sthree Padana Kendram, as she gets ready to launch the poster of the fest at Manaveeyam Veedhi in Thiruvananthapuram.
The fest is not just about women filmmakers, but also stories about them, concerning them. The focus this time is on films on the transgender community, says P.S. Sreekala, chairman. “When it is a male to female transgender, it is about people who think like a woman, have desires like one. Most people in our society can’t understand this,” says P. Abhijith, whose documentary Avalilekulla Dooram will be screened at the festival. Abhijith, who has toured South India with his camera taking a photo documentary of the transgender community, later decided to make this film based on one family in Kerala. “One family with five transgender persons —Soorya, Harini, Billu, Miya, Mikha — talks about the problems they face everyday living in Kerala, opens up on what they wish to do with their lives.”
Organisers launching the poster for the female film fest at Manaveeyam Veedhi on Sunday
However, Mujeer Pasha, a Bengaluru man, wanted a different angle. “I was tired of watching sad narratives about trans lives. I wanted to make a film showing a simple trans girl and her hopeful story,” he says. So he made Project India Bride, a 30-minute short film, about an urban trans girl who gets cast as a bride for a series of still photographs. “I wanted to cast a trans-person to play the role and not have a male actor drag up, as we see in other films. So my film has a man, a woman, and a transgender, being themselves.” Project Indian Bride will also be screened at the Female Film Fest. Mujeer feels that such film festivals help tweak the popular narratives of patriarchy.
“One gets to hear and watch stories which educate us and help us become better versions of ourselves. The change may not be instant but it definitely sets us thinking in a different direction. As they say, we are the stories we hear. We really need to change our choice of stories.” And then of course there are all the films on women and by women. Shilpa Krishnan Shukla, who has been pursuing filmmaking as a passionate hobby, is coming all the way from Singapore with her film Pularum Iniyum Naalekal/There’s Always Tomorrow. A film revolving around only two characters — Anthony and Durga, who were once romantically involved, but had since moved apart and got married to their respective spouses. And then there is a chance meeting of these two protagonists in Abu Dhabi after a gap of several years, the unexpected reunion transforming their lives.
A still from Pularum Iniyum Naalekal
The film, selected to 17 film festivals and winning four awards will have its Indian premiere at the Female Film Fest. “I believe a film festival focused on women plays two roles — first, it creates opportunities of exposure for female filmmakers which in turn inspire them to do more. It is a tough world out there and any encouragement helps. Secondly, it brings the woman’s perspective to the forefront. I do think when women write or direct films, they bring a world view that only they can bring and it is important for both men and women to be exposed to that alternative view. If we are hoping for gender equality, it is important for both sides to be heard equally, loudly and clearly and films are a great medium to achieve that,” Shilpa says.
A still from Project India Bride
She believes it is the physical requirements that still keep women off the technical side of filmmaking. “Key roles in the industry require you to travel and be away from home for several days. This could get challenging especially if a woman has a family, even with a supportive husband who will step in. I have a family that includes a four-year-old daughter, I have a full-time job in a global marketing role, and then I have this passion for filmmaking. So I need to do a lot of planning to fit everything in. Each woman will need to work out the balance that works for her, to be able to participate in the industry.” And perhaps because she has been doing that for decades, KPAC Lalitha will get the P.K. Rosy Puraskaram at the fest this year.
