Discrimination
is a recurring topic that seems to
feature prominently in movies screened at the festival. From transgenders in
Brazil to women in 20th century Europe to people being discriminated and the
movies also emphasized the importance of treating them genuine attention and
care.
Cassio Pereira dos Santos’s Valentina addressed the social
boycott Brazil’s transgender student’s face. He said “80% of Brazilian
transgender students drop out of school, many are forced into prostitution. To
change the reality, we need to make the issue more visible.”
He said it was important to change the reality and make the
issue more visible. The urge to throw light on this social boycott they face
led him to the making of Valentina. It tells the story of a 17 year old
transgender Brazilian girl, whose sole aim is to lead a normal life with her
mother. In her attempt to enroll in school using her social name, she tries to
keep her real identity secret. But there comes a catch when the school demands
her father’s signature, while she was being raised by a single mother. She
eventually successfully overcomes all the hurdles to achieve her aim, the film
tells how.
Women trying to find their voice in a conservative age was the
focus of Mario Borroso’s Portuguese movie Moral Order. In 1918, Maria Adelaide
Coelho, heiress and owner of a prominent newspaper, abandons and runs away with
a chauffeur 22 years younger than her, seeking to escape from the social,
cultural and family luxury in which she had been living. Maria’s role has been
played by noted Portugese actor Maria de Medeiros. Vera Moura who plays the
role of a maid serving the protagonist Maria, said: “The film is largely about
women trying to find their voice in 20th century European society. It is based
on a true story which happened in Portugal. It is about woman’s freedom where a
woman shows the courage to take a bold step during that era. She belongs to one
of the richest families in Portugal and she leaves that high class society.”
The actor said that
the women-centric film brings out the struggle of women in both higher and
lower strata of the society. Actor Joao Pedro Mamedi, who plays the role of the
chauffer Manuel Claro with whom Maria runs away to a new life, was also present
at the press conference. He spoke about the complex life situation which led
her to take the plunge. “All the characters gravitate around the main character
Maria. Everyone is connected with her though her needs and wishes. There are
various reasons which lead her to run away from her previous social
environment. It could have been due to vengeance, love, or may even be
madness”.
Thaen, a film in
Tamil highlights a real life incident where a person unable to pay the
ambulance driver is forced to carry the dead body of his beloved one to his
village. Ganesh Vinayak the Director said it was important for society to
understand the emotional stress the main character and his little daughter
experienced. Thaen means honey in Tamil and the film tells the story of Velu, a
bee-keeper who lives in a hill range village of Nilgiri forest in Kurunjikudi,
Tamil Nadu. He said “The film is influenced and inspired by true life events.
The plot of the story is an actual one, which happened to some Muthuvan tribals
in Theni district of Tamil Nadu. People discarded from society, like outlaws;
genuinely need our attention and care, as nobody is coming forward to extend
them any support. Reaching out to these people, who are otherwise neglected,
was the message that I want to convey through my work.” He confessed he had
encountered some political resistance but nothing stopped him from telling this
story. Ganesh hoped people would pay more attention to people less fortunate.
One
can only hope these films are watched by more audiences who could be influenced
some way
