June 8, 2007

JUNE 8, 2007 SESSION 1: 2.00pm to 4.00pm

Film: Cutting off a Lifeline Dir: Saraswati Kauvala Dur: 62mins When the most of Hyderabad has dismissed the river Musi as nothing more than a big open drain, ‘Cutting off a Lifeline’ reveals the deep relationship between the ancient river and life in and around the flourishing city that through the years has been abused by the callous city dwellers, planners and policy makers. Director Saraswati Kauvala will be present at the film screening and participate in an interactive session with the audience.

Film: Ganga: From the Ground Up Dir: Yves Saduvani & Miriam Ciscar Dur: 43min 41sec With vibrant images and sounds, the kinetic documentary takes you along the course of the river Ganges affirming its spiritual and ecological importance as a sustainer of an entire civilization while delving into the myriad crises plaguing the river at almost every point of its course, exploiting its water and its poorer inhabitants in the name of progress and development and offer simple and thoughtful suggestions so that yet another generation can witness the magnificence that is the Ganges. http://citizen.nfb.ca/blogs/uncategorized/ganga-from-the-ground-up/

WATER VOICES: 4.15pm to 4.45pm Shivaji Kagnikar, a Gandhian; and he laughs at the term, has been working in the village Kattanbhavi and its environs near Belgaum. His work along with many has resulted in the village well in Kattanbhavi being always full. Forest planting, watershed works, check dams, pond desilting, recharge structures, gobar gas plants for every household and water security for the village is achievement if it can be called that.

SESSION 2: 4.45pm to 6.45pm

Film: Dweepa Dir: Girish Kasaravalli Dur: 100min Winner of 2002 National Award for Best Film and Best Cinematography, ‘Dweepa’ gives a human face to the tragedy of the displaced. When the village of Sita Parvata is being submerged by the construction of a dam, the government evacuates its residents, giving them meager compensation but temple priest Duggajja and his family are yet to come to terms with the implications of life outside their tiny island. In Ganapa's own words, the compensation can give them food and shelter, but cannot compensate for the love and respect of their people. Winner of multiple National awards and a major personality in Indian art house cinema, Girish Kasaravalli will be present at the screening and participate in an interactive session.

WATER VOICES: 7.00pm to 7.30pm Pokkudan plants mangroves. This incredible feat by an individual is amazing for the sensitivity displayed in a biological system that acts in many ways to buffer erosion, enhance bio-diversity, minimise high tide, tsunami impacts and many other things. Why does he do it? The man himself will answer.

SESSION 3: 7.30pm to 9.00pm

Film: The Lost Water Dir: Dakxin Bajrange Dur: 25min21sec There is an old folk tale that is told in the Rann of Kutch that in the vast desert expanse, the Agariya tribe is perpetually found digging the sand is search of lost water. It’s almost as if time has stood still in the salt pans of Gujarat as the film sheds light on the plight of the tribe who have been cultivating salt through the generations and in return have been exploited and reduced to sickness, poverty and thirst. Award winning Director, playwright, actor, director and founder of the Budhan school of theatre, Dakxin Bajrange will be present at the screening for an interactive session with the audience. http://english.georgetown.edu/Lannan/bioarchive/chhara.html

Film: Solitary Cedar Dir: Hegedus 2 Laszlo Dur: 4min Torrents of wind, rain, thunder and lighting, enduring nature’s wrath, the solitary cedar survives and is blissful.

Film: Mountains in the Mist – Discovering Cloud Forests Pro: Halsundbeinbruch Film Dur: 40 min Home to 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds (including 30 kinds of hummingbirds), tens of thousands of insect species and 2500 species of plants (420 kinds of orchids), Cloud Forests are rare and intriguing eco-systems that are intense with life and color. ‘Mountains in the Mist’ is a lush journey through the secrets of these mystical forests in the clouds. http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/index.htm