Four documentaries on women, by women

Birla Academy of Art & Culture in collaboration with the Films Division, Govt. of India, presented ‘Tvam Hi Durga’ on September 23 — a screening of four documentaries made by female directors, and produced by Films Division, Govt of India.

The films that were screened included titles such as ‘The Day I Became A Woman’ directed by Moupia Mukherjee, ‘Chasing Tails’ by Madhavi Tangella, ‘Drama Queens’ by Sohini Dasgupta and ‘Stop Acid Attack’ by Farha Khatun. The screening was preceded by felicitation of the four filmmakers who hail from different fields.

Talking about her documentary, ‘Chasing Tails’, award-winning documentary filmmaker Madhavi Tangella, said, “The film invokes the grit, determination and resilience of Munira Sheikh as she goes about her work in the dead of the night. Her intense compassion for the non-humans living along the street, and the challenges she faces, reflect the larger society we live in.’’

For Moupia Mukherjee, the director of ‘The Day I Became a Woman,’ the idea behind making the documentary was to raise awareness around menstruation by sharing real experiences. “I firmly believe that personal experiences are political. And in a patriarchal society, even normal biological experiences for women tend to become very fearful. I feel it is important to start a dialogue on these important issues so that people can relate to these experiences,’’ said Mukherjee.

Sohini Dasgupta’s documentary ‘Drama Queen’ charts the lives of three internationally renowned female thespians. “When I started my career it was an uncommon sight to see women behind the camera, but things have changed now,” said Dasgupta who has been a part of the filmmaking industry since 2003.

‘Stop Acid Attack’, a short documentary by Farha Khatun, focuses on a heinous crime that women fall victim to on a daily basis. The film has made the rounds of the international festival circuit.

-Sundas Jawed