Here's your chance to watch the best of films with women as focus. From February 28 to March 9, Samsung India Electronics and InKo Centre, Chennai, in association with the Women's International Film Festival, Seoul, The National Film Development Corporation, India (NFDC),The National Film Archive of India, (NFAI) and Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall, present the third edition of the Samsung Women's International Film Festival in Chennai (SWIFF).
The Festival will focus on a strong Korean and Indian section of feature films, short films and documentaries as well as a section on world cinema in all three categories.
Celebrated works
The festival brings together a rich haul of 175 films from 53 countries, which will be screened over nine days across two screens — Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall and the South India Film Chamber.
The festival also aims to showcase the work of talented Chennai-based filmmakers, who have made a significant contribution to cinema.
The films chosen for the special showcase section will focus on a unique ‘women's perspective' and on the strong delineation of women protagonists that these films projected. The directors and lead actresses will also be present.
In addition, there will be an International Seminar, ‘Of Form and Frame: A Women's Point of View' on March 6, from 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Ethiraj College for Women. The talk will examine the oft-debated question of what constitutes “a woman's film”. There will also be a film poster exhibition: Women in Indian Cinema, curated by NFAI.
Discussion
On March 8, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at InKo Centre, there will be a roundtable “Real Women, Reel Lives”. During this structured discussion, a specially-invited group of film-makers, historians, film students and journalists will discuss the challenges of documenting women's lives and their activities in the public sphere. The programme has been conceptualised by InKo Centre and the Prajnya Resource Centre on Women in Politics and Policy.
The festival closes on March 9, at 7 p.m., with a performance by Olive Juice, titled “Her Song”, at Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall.
Delegate passes will be available at InKo Centre, between 9.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. (Monday to Friday) from February 19.
The passes are priced at Rs. 200 for the general public; Rs 150 for members of film societies and Rs. 100 for students.
Delegates must show their passes at the special InKo Ticket Counters at both venues to collect their tickets, free of cost, for the films they wish to see. The InKo ticket counters will be open from February 26 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For further information, contact InKo Centre at 24361224.
