NARRATIVES on Women and Conflict in Manipur
Directed by Kavita Joshi

at the India International Centre
on 8th March 2006, 3:30 PM
accompanied by a talk on women, violence and the image

[ 18 min; colour; 16:9 video; english subtitled]

SHORT SYNOPSIS:

July 2004. 12 women strip themselves and protest naked on the streets of Imphal. What fuels this angry protest?

A mother laments the extra-judicial killing of her teenage son. Will she ever get justice?

For 5 years now, a young woman has been on a fast-unto-death. Why is she bent upon this resolve that leads inexorably to her death?

Manipur is a conflict-ravaged state in India’s North-East region. For decades, it has witnessed insurgency and armed separatist movements. The Indian government has attempted to crush these through force, using its military power. Arrests, torture, extra-judicial killings - Manipuri people have faced them all. Yet, little is heard about Manipur and its troubles. This is a place that mainland India has marginalised; that the world has forgotten.

This project travels to this far-flung, violence-torn corner of India to seek out stories of uncommon courage in the face of despair. To give a voice to the anger and anguish of Manipuri women; and to document their extraordinary protests.

AWARDS AND FESTIVALS:

III Best Film at the VIBYOR Film Festival, Trichur. Kerala 2006

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER

Kavita Joshi is an independent documentary filmmaker and TV Producer based in Delhi. Her work has spanned diverse subjects – conflict, the arts, people, environment, gender…. It has been broadcast by NRK of Norway, BBC World, SBS Australia, Star and Doordarshan (India’s national broadcaster); and screened at several international film festivals.

Her last film, ‘Some Roots Grow Upwards’, won the Best Film and two other honours at the CEC awards in India. It has been screened in Vikalp Films for Freedom 2004; Karafest 2004 Karachi; KIMFF 2004, Kathmandu; HFF Amsterdam 2005; India Many Faces 2004, Antwerp; and was also shown in Lausanne, New York, Oblo, Kolkata, Delhi and other cities.

Apart from filmmaking, Kavita Joshi also conducts workshops on video / film making, documentary, and participatory camera practices.

KEY TEAM

Director and Producer: Kavita Joshi; Camera: Sunayana Singh; Sound: Asheesh Pandya; Assistance: Rocky Thongam and Swastika Mehta. The filmmakers would like to thank IAWRT, NRK Norway, NIPCO Manipur, Jai Chandiram, Ima Gyaneshwari Devi and K. Sunil for their unstinting support.

CONTACT: Kavita Joshi: [email protected] (main) |
[email protected] (bk-up)

IIC IAWRT ASIAN WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL 2006
7th + 8TH MARCH 2006
AT THE INDIA INTERNATIONAL CENTRE,
NEW DELHI

NOTE: ENTRY IS FREE. NO PASSES NEEDED.