It’s a fest to honour journalists and filmmakers who work outside their comfort zones, even risking their lives. And it has been organised in October- a month when the world remembers journalist Daniel Pearl and the tragic circumstances under which he lost his life.
Behind the Lines, Between the Lines International Film Festival (BTLIFF), is presented by The Aseema Trust and the U.S. Consulate Chennai, travels from Chennai to Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram. Bringing together media practitioners, filmmakers and other organisations, the three-day fest hopes to spark off a discussion on journalistic ethics and the dilemmas that reporters face, especially when they work outside their comfort zone.
Twenty-three films – from eight countries across the globe – will feature this theme. The signature film of the festival is A Mighty Heart , which is a detailed account of the search for the kidnapped reporter Daniel Pearl. Also premiering is Om Obama – the story of a village in which the American President stars via cut-outs.
“We’ve a documentary film from Manipur, something one rarely gets to watch, besides films by some young Indian filmmakers,” says Uma Vangal Shivakumar, curator and artistic director of the fest.
Allied events promise to make the fest more exciting. Film buffs have a chance to hang out with filmmakers and interact with them, while workshops will go a long way towards facilitating the exchange of ideas.
“We hope to offer a common platform for all stakeholders to come together and deliberate on a wide range of topics,” says V. R. Devika of Aseema Trust. Also lined up is a retrospective tribute to three south Indian stars — Balan K. Nair, Jai Shankar and Shankar Nag.
After the Chennai edition which concludes on October 12 , the BTLIFF moves on to Bengaluru (October 17 – 19) and Thiruvananthapuram (October 24 –26). For details, visit www.btliff2014.com.
