Film screened for Khalpara kids

SILIGURI, June 9: A film appreciation and screening programme was organised on Sunday by friendz4filmz (A Film Study Circle) based in Siliguri for the children (belonging to the age group of 8-14) of the red light areas at Khalpara, Siliguri. Mr Abhisek Roy, the convener of the organisation, said that the cinematic endeavour was the first of its kind in North Bengal for the aesthetic and emotional development of the children representing the most unprivileged section of the society.

The films, shown to the children, ranged from cartoons, Charlie Chaplin films, documentaries to other short films made for the children. Among these there was a documentary on the elephants of the Dooars and a renowned children’s film (Children of Heaven) directed by Majid Majidi of Iran.  An interactive session involving the children followed the screening of the films. They talked to the directors of the films and asked many questions about the themes and shooting of the films. The interaction proved beneficial to many.

As a special attraction, two among the children present were later selected for a live phone-in programme on a local cable channel.  Mr Abhisek Roy said that a mere film appreciation course was not the end of the effort on their part towards intellectually and aesthetically uplifting the children of the ever-neglected stratum of the orthodox Indian society. It was just the beginning to a long term project that would bring in some change in their lives.

“We have decided to organise a week-long film-making workshop for the same children in conjunction with Roopkala Kendra, Kolkata,” Mr Roy said. [The Statesman]