The Telegraph reports on the screening of Tirthankar's films at Bhubaneswar

Poster courtesy: Pradipto Photography: Kallol Nath

Film-makers shed light on social cause - Cinema lovers turn up in large numbers as city hosts two-day Siddhartha Gautam Film Festival

NAMITA PANDA

Exerpts from the article:

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 3: The Siddhartha Gautam Film Festival that deals with several human rights issues began on Friday at Jaydev Bhawan in Bhubaneswar. The two-day festival attracted people from different sections of society, who appreciated the films for their social outlook.

The films screened on the first day focussed on AIDS awareness and spoke about including sexual minorities into mainstream society... ...

... .... In a span of five minutes, Being Positive packs in a great message. It’s about a freelance photographer Akaash, in his 20s. The film is an absolute revelation. It shows a compilation of photographs with an undergoing narration in the background.

The central character Aakash, who keeps converting the negative films to positive for his photography, gets to know that he is HIV positive.

But one day he meets a married woman leading a happy and normal life with her family. She inspires Aakash and his family to continue living happily together ... ...

... ... The screening of films concluded with an interactive session attended by actors and film-makers.

“The response here is fantastic. The viewers were excited to see films end on a positive note. They asked how could it be possible to establish an inclusive society for HIV positive and transgenders,” said Amitabh Sarkar, an actor in film Aarambh and the director of Rupantar to be screened on Saturday.

Films Engayging Lives, The Red Umbrella and XXWHY will also be screened on the second day.

The festival is organised by Sampark, a coalition of 24 different civil society organisations working towards promoting all-round health and reducing poverty amongst sexual minorities and people living with HIV in the state.

It is an initiative of Solidarity and Action Against the HIV Infection in India (Saathii). On Saturday, Saathii will be give the Rainbow Film Awards 2010 to one of the films at the festival.

“Siddhartha Gautam, who passed away at the tender age of 28 in 1992, had fought vigorously for the rights of HIV positive people and transgenders. This annual festival began in Bengal in 2005 in his memory and was held in Bhubaneswar last year,” explained Mitali Mohanty of Saathii.

“The theme for this year is to support legal efforts to protect rights of people with HIV and decriminalise same-sex love and sexual minorities in India,” she added.

To read the original article please follow this link: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100904/jsp/orissa/index.jsp

The Red Umbrella receives awards for Best Film and Best Actor at SRFA 2010

We are glad to inform all our friends and welwishers, that our film "The Red Umbrella" has received the award for the Best feature film portraying sexual minority characters and issues in SGFF 2010. Dipmoy (Imon, the protagonist) received the award for the Best feature film actor in the role of a sexual minority character.

I express my sincere thanks, unconditional debts and warm regards to all my cast, crew and friends who have been part of this project in some way or the other.

I express my sincere thanks to the organisers of the SGFF to have considered our entry eligible for this honor.

This news, although pleasantly shocking to all of us, reminds us of one big thing - that dedication pays! All our cast and crew members were so deeply involved in the project, and sacrificed so much of their time, energy and work, that the project seemed to be a child we were bringing up!

Now that the child has grown up and started getting affections from the outer world, we feel like proud parents!

Screening Schedule & Venue:

On September 3, 2010 (Friday), Jayadev Bhawan, Bhubaneswar: “Aarambha”, “Aasara Sakala” “Hari Nivas” “Being Positive” “Magic” and “Theme Song on HIV/AIDS” will be screened.

On September 4, 2010 (Saturday), Jayadev Bhawan, Bhubaneswar: “Rupantar”, “The Red Umbrella”, “XXWhy” will be screened

Mobile Film Shows (from September 6-10, 2010): Screening will be from among “Rupantar”, “Being Positive”, “Magic” and “Hari Nivas”

I once again express my thanks to all members of the "Red Umbrella Family"!!

Tirthankar

The Red Umbrella - a story based documentation of the Indian gay rights movement

At the shooting: Tirthankar shooting a scene with Dipmoy, Sramana and Bina Guhathakurta



Imon and Didi: Capturing childhood frames

Imon: Unfurling the umbrella

Imon and Didi: a new biginning

50 min, Bengali (with English subtitles)
Kolkata, 2010

Screening: 25th of Jan, 2010 at Rotary sadan (Opp. Exide more Haldiram)

Entry open to all

All are cordially invited.

Synopsis:

Imon’s sister never liked her brother using a red umbrella. “Red umbrella is for girls”, she felt. The film traces Imon’s journey from a small village to the perplexing crowd of the city where many people are organizing some sort of a forbidden march to unfurl their hearts’ colors.

Through its course, the film generates questions around gender, sexuality and the history of LGBT rights movement in India. It embraces the popular debate around Indian Penal Code 377 that forbids same sex love, and the recent High Court rulings on the same.

In a span of 50 minutes the playright addresses issues like "coming out", activism, law and humanity.

Credits:

1. Story, Script & Direction: Tirthankar Guha Thakurta
2. Cinematography: Kallol Nath, Rupesh Chaudhuri
3. Music: Aneesh Basu
4. Cast: Dipmoy Nath, Sramana Mukhopadhyay, Bina Guha Thakurta, Chinmoy Guha Thakurta, Sreyoshi Guha Thakurta & Anuprabho Ghosh
5. Editing: Ayan Chakraborty

6. Make up & Styling: Manish Sharma
7. Sound recording & Dubbing: Nihar Ranjan Chakraborty
8. Studio: Post Production

About the Director:

A doctor and teacher at a Kolkata based medical college, Tirthankar took up film-making as a second year medical student. His first film Piku Bhalo Achhe (Piku Is Fine), based on the coming out of a young gay boy, won accolades at various national and international film festivals. His subsequent films Strangers in the Rain, Being Positive and Magic have all dealt with various facets of gender, sexuality and human rights. He has always been vocal about the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons through his profession and films.

Email: tirthankar82@yahoo.co.in