Auto Driver wins best documentary award at Women's Voices Now Film Festival
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 06 2017:
'Auto-driver', a documentary by film maker
Meena Longjam has won the best short documentary in the
audience category at the California based Women's Voices Now
Film Festival , an organisation which advocates women's rights
through films.
The film tells the story of Laibi, a woman auto driver based
in the conflict torn Imphal city and how she took up this
particular profession to support her ailing husband and the
education of her two sons, all the while defying a traditional
society.
The film shows her struggle from starting off as a daily
wage labourer in a brick kiln where she used to earn a mere
Rs 60 for loading 1000 bricks to how she has to face the
discrimination of passengers who shun lady auto drivers.
The film which also portrays how the livelihoods of daily
wage earners are severely affected by frequent bandhs in the
State, won the National award in 2015 for best social issue
and was also screened at several prestigious National and
international film festivals including Dhaka International Film
Festival, Kolkata International Film Festival and Kathmandu
International Mountain Film Festival.
Two other Indian entries, Leeches by Payal Sethi and
Memory of a Heart by Tribeni Rai won narrative short and
audience choice experimental film awards at the festival where
a total of 36 films participated.