Film fest explores use of new media to create feminist art interventions

The Indian Women's Film Festival (IAWRT), in its 14th edition, explored the idea of using new media to create feminist art interventions.
The annual event that features screening of films, as well as discussions and interactive sessions with filmmakers on specially curated films, seeks to encourage women to express themselves through celluloid.
"The IAWRT film festival offers opportunities to creative women to come forward and express themselves by providing a platform for stimulating discussions, debates and dialogues, which is missing in the commercial film industry," Archana Kapoor, one of the organisers, said.
The three-day event, this time, saw 21 filmmakers from across the globe addressing national as well as global issues through their works.

"Almost 40 per cent of the films that were screened were by Indian film makers. Moreover, the focus was on 'new media' with Paromita Borah speaking on how new media can be used for creating feminist art interventions," festival director Aradhana Kapoor Kolhi, said.
She added that IAWRT sought to strengthen initiatives that will advance the impact of women in media by ensuring that women's views and values are an integral part of programming.

The festival, that began last week, opened with a discussion on "Missing Persons and Missing Homes", followed by a day-long screening of films related to the theme.

"By watching films in thematic groups, we get multifaceted perspectives on various issues and concerns as also an opportunity to see how the same issue influences lives in different cultures," renowned filmmaker Chandita Mukherjee, said.
Ruing the "decimal" presence of women in the film industry, Bina Paul, director of International Film Festival, Kerala, emphasised the need to increase the numbers.
"Festivals like this underline the point that women must be the part of the film industry. The presence of women film makers is presently very decimal," she said.
The festival received as many as 73 entries this year, more than ever before.

It came to a close on March 7.