Mumbai hosts Third edition of Flashpoint Human Rights Film Festival from 12-14 December

One of the most spoken issues today in the world is human rights and their importance. To create awareness among the masses, Flashpoint Human Rights Film Festival was held on International Human Rights on December 10.

The three-day film festival has been organised by Solaris Pictures in association with ACEE - The Third Eye and Movies That Matter and Alliance Francaise de Bombay.

The press conference witnessed the presence of well-known celebrities like Mahesh Bhatt, Shireen El Feki, Hansal Mehta and Vaidehi Chitve who spoke about movies to be screened at the festival and the various problems realted to human rights highlighted in those movies.

The third edition of the film festival will be held at Alliance Francaise, 40, Theosophy Hall, 1st Cross Lane, New Marine Lines on December 12, 13, 14 from 11 am. Entry is free and registrations will be done at the venue. (Seating is on a first come first served basis.)

The films to be screened on the above mentioned dates are:

December 13

One Day after Peace

Forbidden Voices

Salma

Inshallah Kashmir

December 14

Reportero

High Tech Low Life

United in Anger

Shahid

 Photo Courtesy-Dhwanil Kapasi

Talking about human rights and Nelson Mandela, Mahesh Bhatt said that he had a privilege to meet Mr Mandela.

Recounting his experience, Bhatt said that he asked Mandela what would be his advice for developing India. Mandela laughed and then said that he couldn't really give an advice for India which is the mother of civilisation. Mandela then continued by saying, "Live the words of Gandhi. A nation is judged not by how it treats the powerful; but how it treats the oppressed."

"Through movies we can amplify the ones who are asking for freedom. We need to bring in empathy through films because if we lose empathy we forfeit the very right of being called Indians. Flashpoint is celebrating the spirit of greatness of Nelson Mandela and human rights," Bhatt said.

Photo Courtesy-Dhwanil Kapasi

The author of Sex and the Citadel, Shereen El Feki's, movie Salma is also supposed to be screened for the Flashpoint Human Rights festival.

When asked more about her films and about women oppression in the world, she said that she specialises in sexual rights in the Arab region. According to her, sexual rights are fundamental rights. They are the very rights that insist that they are pleasurable sexual rights free from violence.

Feki added that sexual rights were political, social and cultural rights. Giving an instance of a real life experience, she said that a woman had got HIV from her husband and when she went for a medical treatment to the hospital, the doctor refused to treat her saying that if the woman has HIV she must have done something unethical and against the religion.

Stressing on importance of films, she said, "Films play a role in making people aware of their rights and to make people connect to real life situations. At the end of the day, it's not just about watching movies, it's about connecting it to your life."

Photo Courtesy-Dhwanil Kapasi

Director of Alliance Française de Bombay Alain Zayan said that it was a great honour being a part of the film festival.It is good to have a platform like these film festivals as they provide a step towards improving humanity.

Photo Courtesy-Dhwanil Kapasi

Fimmaker Hansal Mehta was of the views that films are made to encourage debate and foster thinking in the society.He said "The power is witin us to bring about change.If there is injustice in the world,we need to stand against it.I am not a social activist,I am a film maker to tell stories so that people can see and connect to it."

 Photo Courtesy-Dhwanil Kapasi

Filmmaker Vaidehi Chitre's film Bottle Masala in Moile is also ot be screened in the film festival.Vaidehi's movie is based on the struggle of the Eastern community in Bombay for development.It is based on the loss they have faced in their life and about their disappearence from Mumbai.

To sum it up all of us can be a human rights activist.Everyone can be human rights defenders by writing,sharing correct information and making films!