Why shouldn't you be organ donor, asks Australian filmmaker

Iconic Australian filmmaker Paul Cox, who survived cancer and underwent a liver transplant, the premise of his latest feature "Force Of Destiny", hoped the film would reach a wider audience and encourage people to become organ donors.

"Force of Destiny" stars "Lord of the Rings" fame actor David Wenham, Bollywood actress Shahana Goswami and National Award winner Seema Biswas.

Shot in parts of Kerala, the film received an early opening in the ongoing 20th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF). It is scheduled to release sometime in spring next year, according to one of its producers, Anthony Jones.

"My experience may be bizarre to some but it was all horribly true to me. I was saved by a young man on Christmas day. A part of him lives inside me...the point is why shouldn't you be a donor? I certainly hope this film goes wider and makes them think," Cox told reporters here Wednesday.

Cox is the chair of the jury at the KIFF for the competitive segment on films by women directors.

During his battle with cancer, the director of award-winning ventures like "Lonely Hearts", "Man of Flowers" and "My First Wife" penned a memoir "Tales from the Cancer Ward".

The film "draws heavily" from it but goes on a bit further as well.

"We have to think colourblind. Maybe my donor was Indian, Black or from any other region or community. I do not know. I am filled with gratitude. But today we are all red. We will bleed more if we do not think differently about others," Cox noted.

Born in Holland and settled in Australia, Cox is one of Australia's most prolific filmmakers with 46 features, shorts and documentaries to his name.

Having incorporated a lot of Indian elements in his latest film, Cox observed Indian music is "very fulfilling".

"I think India's national anthem by Rabindranath Tagore should be spread. It is a beautiful piece of music," said the director.

Cox has had a long association with India and particularly Kolkata.

"I am glad they haven't pulled down the old buildings like they have in other parts of the world and replaced them with glass cages," said Cox.